American Falls historic bridges closed for inspection and repairs

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced Friday the closing of American Falls Historic Bridges, also known as the "Historic Stone Bridges," in Niagara Falls State Park. American Falls Historic Bridges is a pedestrian-only bridge that connects the mainland to Goat Island while crossing over Green Island.

An inspection by the New York State Department of Transportation identified deterioration issues, and NYSDOT is working with State Parks to complete a detailed engineering analysis of the structures. Since safety is the top priority, the bridges will remain closed pending the results of the analysis, which are being expedited. These results will be used to develop a repair plan for the bridges.

To accommodate pedestrian traffic during the closure, State Parks will offer free trolley service. Two trolleys will take the public back and forth between the mainland and Goat Island. They will operate between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. Service will provide pick-ups and drop-offs every 10-15 minutes at the following locations:

• Regular Visitor Center stop

• Temporary stop at each end of the American Falls Historic Bridges

• Regular stop at the Cave of the Winds plaza

All stops will be identified with the proper signage.

The original American Falls Bridges were constructed in 1901. Due to structural concerns, a temporary bridge atop the original structures was installed to allow pedestrian traffic to access in 2004.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 179 state parks and 35 historic sites. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.