South Grand Island Bridge

The South Grand Island Bridge is a pair of twin two-lane truss arch bridges spanning the Niagara River between Tonawanda and Grand Island in New York, United States. Each bridge carries one direction of Interstate 190 (I-190) and New York State Route 324 (NY 324). Both crossings are operated by the New York State Thruway Authority as part of the Niagara Thruway. The southbound span was opened in 1935 and acquired by the State of New York in 1950. The northbound span was finished in 1963. A northbound-only toll is collected on the Tonawanda side of the bridge.DescriptionThe bridges are twin truss arch bridges with a steel through-arch in the middle. Both crossings have a 93ft navigation clearance, which was designed to allow tall lake freighters and tanker ships to pass beneath it. A toll is collected from all northbound traffic at a six-lane toll plaza on the Tonawanda side of the bridge. Lanes one and six are reserved for E-ZPass customers; the remainder are manned booths. Lane five alternates between a manned booth and E-ZPass customers only depending on the traffic conditions.HistoryThe southbound bridge was completed in 1935. Mr. Frank J. Offermann, Sr., the former Sheriff of Erie County, owner of the Buffalo Bisons Ball Club and prominent resident of Grand Island was active in getting the bridges sanctioned. Also in 1935 after his untimely death, Supervisor Messmer proposed changing the name of the boulevard connecting the Grand Island Bridges to Offermann Drive, however this was never done, reference Buffalo Courier Express Feb 14, 1935. as a two-lane, two-way structure carrying NY 325 from Tonawanda to Grand Island. It became part of NY 324 by 1937. In 1950, the State of New York assumed ownership of the bridge as part of the Niagara Thruway's construction. A twin bridge erected to the northeast of the original structure was completed in 1963, at which time all northbound traffic was moved onto the new crossing and the 1935 span became southbound-only.