Ralph Wilson Park Bridge Successfully Installed in City of Buffalo Over I-190,  

The new signature 266-foot pedestrian bridge was designed with community input, opens in 2026

Buffalo, N.Y. – The 266-foot Ralph Wilson Park bridge was successfully installed over the I-190, marking another important milestone in the complex construction project underway at the park. Designed with community input to increase access to the waterfront, the bridge will create a stunning new pedestrian and bicyclist entrance to Ralph Wilson Park when it opens to the public in early 2026. Ralph Wilson Park (former LaSalle Park) is a 100+ acre waterfront park in the City of Buffalo that is currently undergoing a transformation to create a world-class public space that is safe, accessible and fun for all to enjoy. 

With a goal of ensuring safety and minimizing disruptions to traffic, the bridge installation started late on Saturday, October 5, and wrapped up in the morning of Sunday, October 6. Dozens of emergency services agencies, along with state and local partners, worked in coordination to remove the old pedestrian bridge by crane and place the new 220-ton bridge superstructure over the I-190 and railroad tracks. Two gantry cranes and one 100-ton rough terrain assist crane were used and placed on either side of the highway, with one in the roadbed.

A community-driven visioning process for Ralph Wilson Park that started in 2018 called Imagine LaSalle emphasized that one of the community’s top priorities was safe access to the park. Hearing that feedback, the City of Buffalo, the State of New York, and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation added a major infrastructure project to the original scope of the park design: the pedestrian bridge and the redesign of the 4th Street side of the park. The cost of both is approximately $20M.

The bridge design was chosen through a community-based design competition led by the University at Buffalo Regional Institute in early 2020. The community chose schlaich bergermann partner (sbp), known for its creative, elegant, sustainable design of long-span bridges and other structures throughout the world. The design illustrates an appreciation for Buffalo’s rich architectural and industrial heritage, coupled with a desire to create an innovative and optimized structure. The structure is an enclosed steel arch that protects pedestrians from the noise and traffic below, while also creating a safe and welcoming crossing into the park.   

The Ralph Wilson Park bridge was manufactured by Cimolai in Italy and traveled across the ocean in four pieces earlier this year. After passing through the New York harbor, the four pieces were loaded onto two barges for an epic and exciting trip to Buffalo on the Erie Canal that drew thousands of onlookers along the way. The first barge arrived at Ralph Wilson Park on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, also known as 716 Day in Buffalo. Additional construction work will now take place on the bridge structure including pouring a concrete deck, adding guard and hand railings, and installing LED-lighting.  

“This weekend’s bridge installation is an important milestone in the creation of Ralph Wilson Park- linking the waterfront park to the residents and neighborhoods that will enjoy it for generations to come,” said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight. “Governor Hochul is proud to support this once-in-a-lifetime investment and the collaborative transformation of Buffalo’s waterfront site into a world-class park that will attract visitors from around the region.”

“It’s exciting to see one of the first visual signs of the major transformation that’s coming to Ralph Wilson Park after the successful installation of a new pedestrian and bicyclist bridge,” said Mayor Byron W. Brown, noting a $3 million investment from the city into this development, along with continued work and dedication from multiple City departments. “Very early on in the process, our community listed increased and safer access to this 100+ acre waterfront park as a top priority. With the installation of the bridge, we are one step closer to making that a reality.  Congratulations to everyone involved on reaching this important milestone with minimal disruptions to traffic, and excellent coordination between dozens of emergency services agencies and local and state partners.”

David Egner, President & CEO, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation said, “It took collaboration at all levels to deliver on this new iconic piece of infrastructure to make this waterfront park more accessible for the Buffalo community. We are grateful to the many residents that shared their voice during the Imagine LaSalle process, to sbp and MVVA for their beautiful design, and to our funding partners including New York State and the City of Buffalo. And importantly, thank you to all the local construction team members, city workers, agencies and partners that made this such a success. We know more work is to be done and look forward to celebrating its use in 2026.”

“The community told us loud and clear that their #1 priority for the park redesign is a safer, more accessible, more beautiful way to get to Ralph Wilson Park and the project team took that to heart,” said Katie Campos, Executive Director, Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy. “With our committed partners, we are collectively delivering a bridge that not only accomplishes that but is also an architecturally and culturally significant investment in our city!” 

“This milestone marks the culmination of months of coordination, planning, and hard work from all teams involved, including our design partners and trade partners,” said Keith Neuscheler, Senior Project Executive, Gilbane Building Company. “We’re grateful for the shared commitment to ensuring a smooth installation and a strong collaboration with the City of Buffalo, the New York State Thruway, and the Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy. This unique installation of the 266-foot bridge is yet another exciting achievement in the transformation of Ralph Wilson Park.”

“The Interstate below had perhaps the largest impact on the arch bridge’s design,” explains Michael Stein, Managing Director of sbp. “First, we needed to design a bridge that would transport users safely across the roadway in an enjoyable manner. If we did our job correctly, you won’t even realize you’ve left the park when you’re on the bridge. A bonus is that the enclosed arch also frames views toward the park and Lake Erie beyond. Our second goal was to design an efficient arch system allowing for a high degree of prefabrication. This was crucial because it allowed us to meet the requirement that we install the bridge over the Interstate in just one night.” 

“When our team began working on Ralph Wilson Park six years ago, we were determined to create an inviting and accessible gateway to the park. The new bridge provides just that,” said Michael Van Valkenburgh, Principal, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. “It is an important step toward ensuring that residents of Buffalo and the surrounding region can enjoy the park’s 100 acres of reclaimed waterfront. It is a bold piece of infrastructure in keeping with Buffalo’s tradition of building powerful architecture not for private gain but for the benefit of the community.”

The Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy will host a drop-in community celebration of this next milestone in the park’s progress and safe viewing of the bridge on Monday, Oct. 7th from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. at 4th and Jersey Streets. 

To learn more about how thoughtful design and strategic investment shapes vibrant, inclusive urban environments, the Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy is inviting the community to join a world-renowned panel on Saturday, October 19th at 10:30 am for a free, open-to-the-public panel and reception on the Art of Architecture at the Buffalo AKG Lipsey Auditorium. Panelists include: Michael Van Valkenburgh, Partner, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates; Janne Siren, Peggy Pierce Elfvin Director, Buffalo AKG; Michael Stein, Managing Director, schlaich bergermann partner; J.J. Tighe, Senior Director, Parks and Trails, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation; Keiah Shauku, Director of Community Engagement, Buffalo AKG. Learn more and register here: https://rwparkbuffalo.org/event/art-of-architecture-bridging-futures/