The Bicentennial Bridge

by Erin Doane, Senior Curator

If someone asked you where the Bicentennial Bridge in Elmira is, could you tell them? Until a short time ago, I couldn’t have. My recent research into how we celebrated the 200^th birthday of the United States 50 years ago led me to this information. On July 17, 1976, the new bridge spanning the Chemung River at Main Street was dedicated. While it was not officially part of the County’s festivities for the momentous year, the bridge was dubbed the Bicentennial Bridge.

The first Main Street bridge was chartered in 1853. The original bridge was replaced in 1873 after suffering from flood and fire damage in the 1860s. Just under 50 years later, in 1921, it was replaced once again. By the early 1960s, the bridge was again showing signs of age. The sidewalks were repaired in 1963 as they were crumbling in several spots and dangerous holes had developed. Deterioration continued into 1968 when major repairs were recommended by a private engineering firm. Some repairs were made and a 5-ton limit on vehicles was put into place.

Main Street bridge, mid-20^th century

The Flood of 1972 further damaged the 51-year-old bridge. The Army Corps of Engineers discovered weaknesses in the southern span of the bridge at that time and repairs were made to shore it up. The bridge reopened but was limited to two lanes of traffic.

View under the Main Street Bridge following the 1972 flood

Despite the repairs, in December 1974, city officials closed the Main Street Bridge as it was deemed unsafe for public use.  The piers on the south end of the bridge appeared in good condition but an inspection crew found serious damage under the floor of the bridge. The concrete had crumbled away allowing the steel supports to rust.

Early the next year, plans were in place to construct an entirely new bridge. Phase one of the project was the demolition of the existing bridge. On October 14, 1975, Dawn Webb, wife of the Elmira building superintendent, got to press the button that blew up the first of four spans of the bridge. Unfortunately, no announcement had been made that the demolition was going to take place, and the city police received over 30 concerned phone calls. No warning had been given to local residents because officials were worried that people would gather to see the demolition and possibly get injured. That was a reasonable concern. Even without official notice, people came out onto nearby rooftops to watch. Some reported bits of rubble falling near them from the explosion. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

Concept drawing of the new Main Street bridge, May 8, 1975

City officials promised that the new bridge would be open by Thanksgiving 1976. Through tremendous efforts put forth by contractors and workers at all stages of construction, the bridge opened four months early on July 17, 1976. The entire $3.5 million project was completed within 19 months from initial planning and design through the completion of construction. The new bridge was ceremoniously dubbed the Bicentennial Bridge and Mayor John M. Kennedy Jr. called it an “avenue of unity joining the citizens of Elmira.”

The Bicentennial Bridge right after its opening on, July 17, 1976

The first people over the bridge represented modes of transportation from the city’s past. Teenagers Cindy Dixon of Elmira and Pamela Collins of Wellsburg crossed the bridge from the Southside to the Northside astride Pamela’s horse Lady Shamrock. Daniel J. Bednarek of Elmira and his brother Brian crossed from the Northside to the Southside inside a 1940 Nash.

The Nash and Lady Shamrock passing each other on the Bicentennial Bridge, July 17, 1976

The opening of the Bicentennial Bridge was a momentous event in a celebratory year. Local businesses used the bridge in their advertisements as a location that people readily recognized. Central Radio, for example, was “just over the Bicentennial Bridge.” But the name didn’t stick. After 1980, the “Bicentennial Bridge” no longer appeared in the local newspaper. Everyone seemed to have gone back to simply calling it the Main Street bridge. 50 years later, it’s not surprising if you’re not familiar with Elmira’s Bicentennial Bridge.