Work is beginning on a $5.3 million preventative maintenance painting project on the iconic Frederick Douglass-Susan B. Anthony Memorial Bridge with support from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which carries Interstate 490 over the Genesee River in the City of Rochester. This is the first major preventative maintenance project to take place on the bridge since it first opened to traffic in 2007.
“The Douglass-Anthony Memorial Bridge is proof that when communities are provided opportunities for ambitious infrastructure projects, they can be strong and resilient without compromising on service and functionality,” Governor Hochul said. “This work will not only ensure that residents and visitors can continue to appreciate this bridge for decades to come, but continue to uphold the proud Rochester legacy of both Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony.”
With this project, each of the bridge’s three main arches and 12 braces will have the current paint removed and then reapplied with coats of zinc-based and epoxy-based paint that are resilient against the elements and protect the structural steel from wear and corrosion. By protecting the structural components from the weather, the need for future structural maintenance is reduced, while extending the bridge’s service life. The bridge color will remain the same once the project is completed, and this new coat is anticipated to last another 10-15 years before another application is necessary.
When this triple-steel arch bridge was installed in 2007, it replaced the Troup-Howell bridge, a multi-girder structure that sat in the same location as the current Douglass-Anthony bridge and similarly carried State Route 490 over the Genesee River. The Troup-Howell bridge was built in 1954, serving the community for over 50 years. The construction of the Douglass-Anthony bridge was one component of the Department of Transportation’s Western Gateway I-490 project, which rehabilitated and modernized aspects of I-490 between the Erie Canal and the Genesee River. The structure took roughly four years to build and was officially opened to traffic on June 18, 2007. It was officially renamed the Douglass-Anthony Memorial Bridge on July 13, 2007, after Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony, the famous civil rights activists and suffragists who called Rochester home. Both were laid to rest in nearby Mount Hope Cemetery upon their passing.
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