The three century-old pedestrian bridges in Genesee Valley Park are in need of repair. The bridges link regional and statewide trails including the Erie Canal.
On Thursday, New York's Preservation League listed the Olmsted bridges among its Seven to Save endangered list for most threatened historic assets.
"To spotlight this statewide concern and the important benefits our state's historic resources and parks that provide the quality of life and the economies of the communities of which they are located," says Tania Werbizky, Preservation League regional director of Western New York.
Werbizky says limited funding, deferred maintenance and uncertainty about rehabilitation responsibilities have put the bridges at risk.
The bridges are also included on the Landmark Society of Western, New York "Five to Revive" list. According to a 2011 state report, the bridges are showing structural deficiencies, water erosion issues and deterioration of concrete surfaces. The price tag for restoration: $3 million for each.
"Generally, they are in good repair,” says Monroe County Park director Larry Staub. “But we don't want to get to that point where we say ‘Geez, they are falling into the canal now and let's do something or they're going to have to come down.’ So doing the restoration, spending that $3 million per bridge and getting them prepared for the next hundred years, we could avoid it."
Staub says he’d like to see the bridges rehabilitated within the next 2 years. A decade from now, he says he'd be worried the historic structures would no longer be safe for the public. Approximately 100-thousand people visit Genesee Valley Park each year.
Thursday's announcement is an effort for the city of Rochester, county, the Landmark Society and the New York State Department of Transportation to work together to create a plan for stewardship of the bridges. One place Staub says they hope to look for funding is from the Regional Economic Development Council.