The State Department of Transportation will perform a controlled implosion of the South Cascade Drive - Miller Road Bridge (formerly US Route 219) over Cattaraugus Creek Thursday. The implosion is necessary to expedite a $16.9 million-dollar design-build project to replace the bridge with a modern structure.
The current bridge connects Erie and Cattaraugus counties through the Town of Concord has been closed since April, but has been a safety concern for years. When the bridge is imploded, its tons of remains will fall into the Zoar Valley gorge.
New York State Police will be performing traffic stops and temporary closures on area roadways in the vicinity of the structure Thursday. As a result, US Route 219 northbound and southbound and a portion of Scoby Hill Road in the vicinity of Cattaraugus Creek will be closed at approximately 10 a.m. for 30 minutes. This closure will also affect South Cascade Drive and Miller Road traffic that is currently detoured onto US Route 219.
