History TidbitsThe Western Gateway Bridge
Construction began in 1922 and the bridge was completed in 1925. In a few years, the Burr Bridge was demolished and this became the main automobile connection between Scotia and Schenectady.
The Western Gateway Bridge was updated in the 1970s.
Did You Know?
Quicksand was found 100 feet below the ground and bed of the river at this location!
"Investigation was made to determine the character of the foundation at the new location. These investigations disclosed the fact that for at least 100 feet below the ground and bed of the river the underlying material was an extremely fine sand of the nature of quicksand."
And although it was determined:
"This bridge violates three fundamental engineering and economic conditions, namely, (1) it crosses a stream at its greatest width; (2) it is a masonry structure on unstable foundations; (3) it directs an extremely heavy through traffic into the main business street of a large city where already the traffic congestion is intolerable. AND It will cost at least four times as much as an equally useful and better structure would have cost.
The benefits out weighed the negative factors:
"The benefits derived are a wide, beautiful and impressive structure to carry the east and west traffic of the Mohawk Turnpike, and a great increase in real estate values in a section of Schenectady where values were decreasing, and the possibility of utilizing the land occupied by two islands in the Mohawk River." Source
Under Construction
Postcard
Further Info
- Construction of the Great Western Gateway Bridge Link >
- The Life of the Citizen is at Stake! | There Will Be Speechifying!
http://www.hoxsie.org/scotia/
