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Broad Street Bridge

Erie Canal Aqueduct

Broad Street Bridge

Primary Photographer(s): Marc Scotti

Bridge Documented: August 10, 2014

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Facility Carried / Feature Intersected
Broad Street Over Genesee River
Location
Rochester: Monroe County, New York: United States
Structure Type
Stone Segmental Deck Arch, Fixed
Construction Date and Builder / Engineer
1842 By Builder/Contractor: Unknown and Engineer/Design: Nathan S. Roberts
Rehabilitation Date
1975
Main Span Length
52.0 Feet (15.8 Meters)
Structure Length
437.0 Feet (133.2 Meters)
Roadway Width
Not Available
Spans
7 Main Span(s)
Inventory Number
2256077

Historic Significance Rating (HSR)
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Bridge Documentation

This ancient structure was originally an aqueduct for the original Erie Canal, and has been altered over the years to serve a subway and a highway. In 1919 the structure ceased to be used for the canal as the canal was realigned south. The bridge had stone faced concrete arch structures added onto the deck, to enable the structure to carry Broad Street on this new upper deck, this work was completed ca. 1924-1927.

This stone aqueduct was the original Erie Canal route through the center of Rochester, crossing over the Genesee River. After the new canal was built south of the city, a subway was built through the canal prism. The second level of arches was added to become today's Broad Street.

The subway was abandoned in the 1950, so the lower level is now just an empty tunnel, but Broad Street still runs on top. The city has had all kinds of ideas about what to do with the subway, but rather than spend the money to make it an attraction, they spent over $10 million to just fill it in with dirt!
 

 

View Archived National Bridge Inventory Report - Has Additional Details and Evaluation

View Historic Bridge Inventory Sheet For This Bridge

View National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form For This Bridge

Above: Structure as seen in 1900.

Above: Structure as seen in 1890.

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Historic Bridges of the New York State Barge Canal including the Erie Canal and Other Canals and Waterways

The Erie Canal is one of the most famous and historically significant canals in the United States. Aside from the widely recognized historical significance of the canal as a transportation facility itself, a lesser known fact is that the canal is historically significant for the bridges that have spanned the canal over the years. It was here on the Erie Canal where Squire Whipple found a place to successfully get his "Whipple Arch" bowstring truss bridges constructed in significant quantities in the mid-1800s. The success of his Whipple Arch bridges helped contribute to the nationwide transition from wooden bridges to metal bridges. The period of time from 1905-1918 where the Erie Canal was upgraded and widened to become part of the larger New York State Barge Canal was a time of change for the bridges of the canal. Between the process of widening and upgrading the canal, and the nationwide trend to build more substantial bridges in the early 20th Century, the previous generation of bridges (many undoubtedly those Whipple Arch bridges) were replaced by a series of new bridges. These bridges have proved to be very durable and thanks to a clear commitment to preservation on the part of New York State Department of Transportation and other agencies, the Erie Canal and the New York State Barge Canal system, particularly the western section from Lockport to Spencerport boasts one of the highest densities of historic bridges of any waterway in the country. The vast majority of bridges on this section are maintained in beautiful condition.

Although the new bridges from the early 20th Century took a variety of forms, two forms were by far the most common. In rural or spacious areas, a fixed double-intersection Warren through truss was used, with a dirt approach providing the modest elevation needed for a fixed bridge over the canal. Double-intersection Warren truss bridges are generally considered an uncommon truss type on a nationwide basis. In urban and less spacious areas, a vertical lift bridge was used. The vertical lift bridges are an unusual design. Instead of towers that rise above the bridge in a traditional vertical lift bridge and pull the truss span up using cables, these bridges have vertical endposts which extend below the deck and into the ground. When operated, these extended endposts (called the lifting frame) rise out of the ground. In an engineering sense, these unusual vertical lift bridges might be thought of as bedstead truss bridges. Another unique feature of these lift bridges are the stairways found at each end of the bridge on the sidewalks. These stairways allow pedestrians to continue to cross the bridge when the structure is in the raised position. These vertical lift bridges continue to operate for boats today, so observing these unique bridges remains possible.

Elsewhere, the New York State Barge Canal System boasts other types of historically significant bridges.

View National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form for the New York State Barge Canal (Alternate ZIP Version In Sections) - Note this impressive document contains modern color photos of the bridges, some from unique angles, historical photos showing bridge construction, and original plan sheets for some bridges too.

View a HistoricBridges.org photo gallery of the historical photos, modern photos, and original plans contained in the National Register Nomination. This photo gallery can also be found in the Fairport Bridge's page.

View Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) Overview of Erie Canal Locks at Lockport, NY (Data Pages)

View Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) Index - Has a list of structures including bridges that were individually documented for HAER.

Erie Canal Museum

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor

Erie Canal History

Annual Reports on the New York State Barge Canal (Order By Fiscal Years): 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921

Story of the New York State Canals (1916)

New York State Barge Canal (1915 Overview of Project)


This bridge is tagged with the following special condition(s): Double-Deck and Unorganized Photos

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Photo Galleries and Videos: Broad Street Bridge

 

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Unorganized Photos

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A collection of overview and detail photos, presented as an unorganized and unlabeled collage and gallery. This gallery features data-friendly, fast-loading photos in a touch-friendly popup viewer.
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Maps and Links: Broad Street Bridge

Coordinates (Latitude, Longitude):

Search For Additional Bridge Listings:

Bridgehunter.com: View listed bridges within 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) of this bridge.

Bridgehunter.com: View listed bridges within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of this bridge.

HistoricBridges.org Bridge Browser: View listed bridges within 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) of this bridge.

HistoricBridges.org Bridge Browser: View listed bridges within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of this bridge.

2021 National Bridge Inventory: View listed bridges within 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) of this bridge.

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