Directs the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation to accept title to the Portageville railroad bridge and convert such bridge into a pedestrian bridge.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
7699
IN SENATE
June 14, 2012
___________
Introduced by Sens. YOUNG, GALLIVAN -- read twice and ordered printed,
and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in
relation to directing the office of parks, recreation and historic
preservation to accept title to and ownership of the Portageville
pedestrian bridge with the Letchworth state park
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature hereby finds that the
2 Portageville bridge, within the Letchworth state park, which has been in
3 operation as a freight railroad bridge since it first opened in the year
4 1875, has played an important role in the cultural and economic develop-
5 ment of the state; the bridge was superbly designed and constructed; the
6 bridge is an historic state and national treasure; that the continued
7 integrity of the superstructure is necessary to protect public safety;
8 that the bridge serves as the only point of unparalleled beauty and
9 scenic view of the Genesee River gorge; and that the bridge should be
10 available to be accessed and enjoyed by the citizens of the state.
11 That preservation of the Portageville pedestrian bridge will contrib-
12 ute substantially to the quality of the lives of each citizen of the
13 state by preserving it as a natural, ecological, historic, cultural and
14 recreational resource within the state park which is an integral compo-
15 nent of the state's environment.
16 That the deck of the bridge should serve as a recreational asset to
17 the people of the state and provide a connection to existing and future
18 Letchworth state park trails; that the preservation of the bridge will
19 provide an alternative route for emergency vehicles in the event of
20 closure or blockage of the new railroad bridge; that the preservation of
21 the bridge will contribute to tourism and economic development within
22 the region; and that the preservation of the bridge to be known as the
23 "Portageville pedestrian bridge" should be established for the use and
24 enjoyment of future New York citizens. Therefore, the legislature
25 declares the acquisition and preservation of the Portageville bridge by
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16253-01-2
S. 7699 2
1 the state, which will be known as the "Portageville pedestrian bridge"
2 to be a public purpose.
3 § 2. The parks, recreation and historic preservation law is amended by
4 adding a new section 19.31 to read as follows:
5 § 19.31 Acquisition of Portageville pedestrian bridge. 1. For the
6 purposes of this section, "Portageville pedestrian bridge" means the
7 Portageville railroad bridge across the Genesee river at milepost 361.66
8 of the Southern Tier route of Norfolk Southern's mainline route between
9 Buffalo and Binghamton, and within Letchworth state park in the counties
10 of Livingston and Wyoming.
11 2. The office shall accept ownership of the Portageville pedestrian
12 bridge in the name of the state at such time as a new freight railroad
13 bridge is constructed and completed over the Genesee river within Letch-
14 worth state park. Upon accepting ownership of the Portageville pedestri-
15 an bridge, the office shall also acquire such incidental roads,
16 approaches, structures and facilities as may be necessary for the
17 construction, operation, maintenance, replacement and management of the
18 deck and approaches and structures of the Portageville pedestrian bridge
19 that provide public access from such state park, and shall be responsi-
20 ble for maintaining the superstructure of the Portageville pedestrian
21 bridge.
22 3. The office is authorized to install and maintain personal property
23 and equipment used in connection with the Portageville pedestrian
24 bridge.
25 4. The office shall include in its annual budget request an amount for
26 all costs and obligations of maintaining the Portageville pedestrian
27 bridge for public access.
28 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
