SALAMANCA
Bridge to reopen in time for festivities
SALAMANCA— Cattaraugus County’s Bicentennial Wagon Train and Stagecoach Run will pull into the city Wednesday, passing through a replicated 1908 Centennial Arch and just in time for the reopening of the Route 353 bridge over the Allegany River.
It will be a full afternoon of festivities and dedications by officials — and welcomed by residents who have had to deal with the closed bridge since Jan. 17.
Located at west Salamanca on Route 353, the bridge had to undergo remedial work for safety concerns. It will reopen at 5 p. m. Wednesday to one-lane traffic, including school buses. Large trucks will continue to be directed to a detour on West State Street in the city.
Mayor Jeffrey Pond said plans are to reopen the bridge with a brief ceremony that will include State Sen. Catharine Young, R-Olean, and leaders of the Seneca Nation of Indians.
Pond said the bridge reopening will end a 10-mile detour around the span.
Pond had hoped the Bicentennial Wagon Train would be the first to cross the reopened bridge.
However, the wagon train will cross the span Thursday morning on its final trek to Little Valley, ending a 14-day and 180-mile bicentennial celebration through the county.
Months in planning by the Bicentennial Committee, the wagon train has enlisted more than 80 participants and has been greeted with unexpected enthusiasm.
Dolly Little, an organizer for the event, said, “It’s been amazing. There have been people along the way, with signs and waving. We saw Amish who stood on their rooftops to see us pass by.”
Videos of the wagon train can be seen on www.youtube.com and other photos and information is at www.cattco.org/bicentennial . Along the way, the wagon train has received many donations of pies, cookies and other foods.
Today the procession will leave Hinsdale for lunch in Haskell Hollow and dinner and overnight in Portville.
Tuesday the lunch stop will be in the City of Olean at Christ United Methodist Church on Linwood Avenue with a free lunch for all visitors. The overnight will be in Allegany.
Wednesday, the wagon train will stop for lunch at Seneca Junction along Route 417, connecting with Route 219, and enter the Allegany Territory of the Seneca Nation of Indians.
