Kinzua Bridge State Park Viaduct Restored

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The Kinzua Bridge State Park in McKean County, Pennsylvania has always been a historic tourist attraction. But eight years ago, restoration had begun on the bridge when a tornado toppled portions of the structure.

Finally, after years of rebuilding and 4.3 million dollars allocated from the state capital budget, visitors can once again "walk the tracks across the sky". A walkway over the remaining tracks ends at an observation deck featuring glass panels in the floor. You can still see what the twister left behind...pieces of the old bridge ripped from their foundation and strewn on the valley floor.

Jason Heasley, Kinzua Bridge State Park manager says, “I don't think there's anything like this in Pennsylvania where you can walk out into the middle of a gorge like this. It's 620 feet out, 225 feet high, and you can look up the gorge either way eight miles.”

When the viaduct was constructed in 1882 it was the tallest in the world at 300 ft. It was originally built to haul coal and timber out of the region.

Rick Allan, Pennsylvania secretary of the department of conservation and natural resources says, “It's a great addition to the area; it'll definitely be a destination for tourism promotion. This area is growing, there's going to be a lot of new things here, putting in new trails, and we’re going to be putting in a new visitor's center within the next few years.”

The park is free and open to the public. You can find out more information by calling 888-PA-PARKS or checking out this link .