Portageville Bridge Replacement, Future Tier Traffic

Here's the latest from the Democrat and Chronicle out of Rochester, NY http://www.democratandchronicle.com/sto ... /21059581/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here's the latest on the project from what I have been able to find out while hanging out in Letchworth yesterday. I parked at the Trestle Parking lot and I noticed that the area for the trees to be cut and cleared is marked out now and I heard that tree cutting is to begin sometime this month. I will check the East side of the bridge soon and report on what I find there. The work on the new Castile entrance toll booth has stopped temporarily while winter weather has moved in. The removal of the old booth and foundation work for the new 2 lane booth is complete. This work is being done in anticipation of the closing of the Portageville entrance once bridge construction begins in the Spring. From all indication it looks as though this project is moving forward.

^Thanks!

So the road is still open to the bridge parking lot...

Have they started to remove the trees yet?

^I asked. I will let you know what my source says.

EDIT:

Nothing has been cut.

I stopped by the bridge today.
Nothing has been done yet.

All the trees are marked for cutting and the area of the cut is all staked off. I guess they are just waiting to hire a logger to start removing the trees. The trees marked with a big orange X are the ones the Park wants to have cut and to keep for their saw mill. Right now the snow is past knee deep but this shouldn't be a problem for the loggers as they usually like to cut this time of year.

Paleoman wrote:... loggers ... usually like to cut this time of year.

The ground is harder when frozen in the winter, makes it less likely their large pieces of tree hauling equipment will sink into the ground, and makes it easier to drag trees out without them digging into muck. I assure you the 4 feet of snow and 0 degree temps does not make them like it better though.

Also, trees and brush in general are easier to cut during colder weather when they are drained of sap.

If they are going to drop the trees they have to do it prior to the end of March because of the Indiana bat. I'm anxious to see if they can get this started...

We went to see the frozen fountain at Letchworth today. I had an opportunity to speak with one of the park employees, who told me that tree cutting will commence Tuesday 3/10/15 starting on the east bank. He figured a couple of weeks on the east side and the rest of the month on the west.

I took these pics in mid-September for "before" shots when the new bridge is done.

Path leading to the NS grade from the parking lot by the bridge:
http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=219447" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looking in the opposite direction towards the gorge:
http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=219448" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Trees next to the current bridge:
http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=219449" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

East side of the bridge:
http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=219452" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://photos.greatrails.net/s/?p=219451" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I was at the bridge Friday afternoon.

The Portageville entrance is open. There is no fee to enter the park.

I can confirm that there was tree clearing being done on the east bank.

Nothing yet has been done on the west bank.

thebigham wrote:There is no fee to enter the park.

State park dont charge for entrance fees between day after labor weekend and the day before Memorial weekend.

thebigham wrote:I was at the bridge Friday afternoon.

The Portageville entrance is open. There is no fee to enter the park.

I can confirm that there was tree clearing being done on the east bank.

Nothing yet has been done on the west bank.

There are some pictures of of the tree work posted on the Facebook Page of the CorningNYRailfans

https://www.facebook.com/groups/CorningNYRailfans/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;