Story by JOHN ANDERSON, photos by NICK DAVIS, main photo of the L.C. Whitford team on the new bridge
Wellsville has a new look for commuters this morning, and it’s a look that hasn’t happened in almost 50 years — a look of safety.
The Madison Street bridge is back open thanks to the work of the L.C. Whitford Company, and the employees who had to work through interesting obstacles.
Drivers leaving the Municipal Parking Lot of driving up Madison Street from Main Street will notice right away the crest of the bridge is lower. Before the new bridge was put in, you could not see cars approaching until they were at the top of the bridge and almost right on top of you.
That was a major concern for Keith Burnham, the project manager for L.C. Whitford.
“That was the big thing, that vertical curve,” Burnham said. “Luckily it’s a low speed zone in that part of the village, but imagine if cars were going 40 or 50 (miles per hour), you got to the crest of that you could not see what was coming the other way. It was weird just walking up that grade. It also didn’t do well during inspection.”
Then there were delays. As a kid, if you remember playing street hockey or football, there would be someone on the lookout who yelled “car!” and you would move off the road and the goalies would clear the goal posts to the sidewalk.
Burnham would get a call that said “train!” and the operation would have to shut down and equipment would have to be moved. Alstom in Hornell is continuing to ship and test the new Acela trains on the line, as there was a major increase in train traffic during the project.
There are several other safety features L.C. Whitford constructed under the guidance of engineering firm Barton and LoGuidice of Syracuse.
Stairs with steel railings are on both sides of the bridge, leading to the homes and apartments. The stairs are safer and there are better sidewalks. The galvanized steel was installed by Billings Steel Mfg. of Olean. There were also additional measures taken to prevent erosion.
For pedestrian safety, there is more room to walk over the bridge and fencing to cut down on the garbage that was thrown onto the tracks below.
Under the bridge is worth a short walk to see the structure. Redi-Rock of Pennsylvania put in the pre-cast concrete system and retaining walls, designed by the engineers. They not only look good, they eliminate the area being a place to hang out or sleep, as there is room now for the trains. For years, it was a dangerous spot with broken glass.
The additional safety features and aesthetic work on the bridge would not have been done, except L.C. Whitford was determined to come in with the lowest bid on the project and make it happen.
While it’s just a bridge to some, it means a little more at 164 North Main Street where the Whitford’s work.
This was a project the late Daniel Whitford was working on in 2019 until his death on Feb. 5, 2024.
His brother, Brad Whitford, talks about the bridge and is a little emotional as he said, “We don’t normally ask for this, but we are going to request a memorial plaque on there … I’m just glad we did it it.”
Brad Whitford and Keith Burnham said the bridge is also a sense of pride.
“It’s nice, it gives you a sense of pride. It’s not quite a legacy project but in a way it is,” Burnham said. “It will benefit the community and be here another 50 or 60 years. I’ve been working on the waste water treatment project during this time (for Wellsville) and that will benefit the community as well.”
Brad Whitford said this was the perfect small-town project.
“The project superintendent on this was Tim Mattison, and the (Village Public Works Assistant Director) is Brad Mattison, so we joked a lot about this being the Mattison-on-Madison bridge,” he said.
Brad Whitford also explained, “We really are proud to do things in Wellsville. Back in the day , we would lose jobs in Wellsville to AL Blades, and we would win jobs in Hornell over them. But the Madison Street bridge? We really wanted that job. It’s 200 big paces from where I sit every day.
“And we won the bid for the waste water treatment plant which is four-tenths of a mile from my office … to get two projects, that close to your office is pretty unusual,” he added.
There is a reason: For over 100 years, the L.C. Whitford Company has provided bridges, railroads, waterproofing and containment all over New York state and the eastern states. While the company has build many things in Wellsville and many times rehabs old projects as community service, they are one of Allegany County’s largest employers and are awarded major projects outside the region.
But today, as cars, school busses, garbage trucks and even L.C. Whitford trucks went over the bridge, Brad Whitford smiled, then turned his attention to the waste water treatment plant.
“I’m glad our name is on both of them,” he said.
Nick Davis Photo gallery (thanks to Nick for his videos and interviews. He was also the first person to drive over the bridge, which he did LIVE with Genesee Valley Media)
