UPDATE: On Tuesday, the Buffalo Common Council announced it approved the City of Buffalo Department of Public Works Department to hire designers for the Louisiana Street Bridge Replacement and Streetscape Project.
ORIGINAL: Paul Buchanan has lived near the Louisiana Street Bridge for more than 50 years and he says it's always been a problem.
"It's awful," he told 7 News. "It needed to be fixed 20 years ago. Not patched up. Fixed."
Mia Torres, another neighbor, agrees.
"The bridge is horrible," she told 7 News while stopped in her car at Scott Street, at the foot of the Louisiana Street Bridge. She said she was on her way to the gas station to put air in one of her tires after hitting a deep crack on the bridge.
A viewer called 7 News to complain about the condition of the bridge and a trip to the span Monday showed it's in rough shape.
Deep cracks in the roadway. Chunks of concrete broke off the curb. Garbage on the sidewalks. At least four hubcaps littered the road.
In August 2022, local officials announced $24 million in federal funds to reconstruct the bridge. But that process is just now beginning, nearly two years later.
READ MORE: Fixes coming for the Louisiana Street bridge and walkway
On Tuesday, a plan to hire a designer goes before the Buffalo Common Council.
Nolan Skipper, city engineer with the Buffalo Department of Works, acknowledged that the bridge is in need of repair.
"It's one of those bridges that has exceeded its lifespan," he said. "...We know it's going to take a full reconstruction."
That's expected to include a full replacement of the concrete, steel, and foundation, as well as new sidewalks and lighting.
"It will be transformational not only for the bridge but also the streetscape as well," Skipper said.
Construction isn't scheduled to begin until 2025.
In the meantime, maintenance will continue to keep the bridge safe for cars and pedestrians, Skipper said.
"So you will see us out there cleaning and patching," Skipper said.
