State Department of Transportation Announces Reopening of Historic Erie Canal Lift Bridge in Albion, Orleans County
Release Date: September 19, 2025
State Department of Transportation Announces Reopening of Historic Erie Canal Lift Bridge in Albion, Orleans County
Rehabilitation of Iconic Bridge Builds on New York’s Investments Along Historic Erie Canal
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez today announced that the historic lift bridge carrying State Route 98 (North Main Street) over the Erie Canal in the Village of Albion, Orleans County, has reopened to traffic following an extensive rehabilitation that modernized the structure and extended its service life by approximately 30 years. With a new deck, upgraded lift system and other improvements, the 111-year-old bridge will now provide enhanced safety and resiliency for an important travel link to the Village of Albion’s bustling business corridor and the vibrant tourism scene along the Erie Canal.
“The Erie Canal helped transform New York State into an economic powerhouse and it’s imperative that we do everything possible to honor that rich history and preserve the infrastructure, especially the historic bridges, that are part of it,” Commissioner Dominguez said. “The rehabilitation of the State Route 98 bridge not only ensures that a vital transportation link continues to serve the Albion community for decades to come but also protects one of the region’s greatest treasures for the benefit of future generations.”
Originally built in 1914, the State Route 98 steel truss lift bridge is an important part of the Erie Canal system, which is a registered National Historic Landmark. As such, it benefits from protections that ensure it continues to look as it did early in the 20th century, with its trusses and lift towers preserved.
As part of the rehabilitation project, the bridge’s deck and portions of the truss system were replaced with high-strength galvanized steel. To complete work on the trusses, the bridge was dismantled and the trusses moved to a lot adjacent to the Canal, where more than 80% of the steel was replaced. Updates were also made to the mechanical and electrical components within the bridge’s vertical lifting system, which raises and lowers the bridge to accommodate marine traffic.
Additional improvements included the rehabilitation of the bridge towers, installation of new bridge rails and repainting in the bridge’s existing shade of green. Sidewalks leading to the bridge were also replaced to meet current Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
Additionally, NYSDOT donated original elements of the historic structure to the Village of Albion, which commissioned local artists to create a solar-powered lamppost and bench from the donated materials. They were installed alongside a time capsule and interpretive panel in the newly dedicated Erie Canal Park adjacent to the bridge.
The Village of Albion is the Orleans County Seat with the county’s 1858 Greek Revival-style domed courthouse and 65 structures listed in the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places. State Route 98 is a vital route to its business corridor and essential for the transport of the region’s many agricultural products.
While the lift bridge has reopened to traffic, construction activities will continue adjacent to the structure and the traveling public should be advised of occasional short-term delays.
Rehabilitation of the bridge is part of a $29.1 million project to modernize and preserve New York State’s Canal structures. The project also includes the State Route 19 lift bridge over the Erie Canal in the nearby Village of Brockport. The project builds on the Department’s prior successes in rehabilitating similar lift bridges in the Villages of Fairport and Spencerport, a $16.9 million project.
New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “The Albion Lift Bridge is a vital lifeline for the community and for the Erie Canal, allowing vehicular and pedestrian traffic to cross and vessels to navigate underneath the bridge safely. As we commemorate the Bicentennial of the Erie Canal and contemplate its next century of use, we’re working to ensure the canal’s vital supporting infrastructure is in safe working order. I thank and congratulate our partners at the Department of Transportation for completing this very important project.”
About the Department of Transportation
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