Sodus Bay Bridge Time Line
1809 A Floating Bridge was first used. This bridge would wash out from time to time due to storms or high water, so a ferry would be used to cross the bay.
1819 April 9, 1819. New York State Legislature created the “Sodus Bay Bridge Company” to build a toll bridge across Sodus Bay. It was to be completed within five years. This bridge is reported to have been destroyed by a storm circa 1830.
1832 The Sodus Bay Bridge Company was authorized to continue until April 9, 1852. (1832 NYS Senate Report pertaining to Sodus Bay Bridge Company)
1837-1847 A wooden ferry at Port Glasgow (Resort) was maintained by William Edwards and Harold Hyde. Ferry use managed by various owners continued until 1866.
1837-47 Ferry Rates :
Pedestrian 6 ¢
Cattle 10 ¢
Man and Horse 12 ½ ¢
One Horse and Wagon 18 ¢
Two Horses and Wagon 31 ¢
Coach 50 ¢
1859 Hiram Bradshaw of Sodus was allowed to maintain a ferry.
1859 The New York State Legislature repealed all laws relating to the Sodus Bay Bridge.
1866 New York State authorized the building of a bridge to be completed in 18 months. It was never built.
1871 New York State loaned Wayne County $5000 to build a bridge over Sodus Bay. A stable bridge was built.
1903 $9000 was raised for repairs.
1904 – 1905 The Eastern Concrete Steel Company was paid $7890.05 for bridge repairs
1917 The Town of Huron repaired the bridge.
1921 New York State constructed the road with 55 spans of 13 feet each, piles 60 feet long, with wooden block pavement.
1921 Sodus Bay Bridge Construction Workers
1938 New York State resurfaced the bridge and a walkway was built.
Aerial View of Resort, Grassy Point, and Sodus Bay Bridge between 1938 and 1960
1957 View of Sodus Bay Bridge looking west.
1970 – 1971 New York State rebuilt Sodus Bay Bridge before turning the bridge over to Wayne County.
1983 Wayne County removed and replaced the rotted wood plank decking of the 716-foot long, 26-foot wide bridge at an estimated cost of $450,000. The materials used by a New York State contractor for rebuilding the bridge decking twelve years prior was of poor quality and was poorly installed. This deck installed in 1983 consisted of glue-laminated timbers with asphalt pavement.
2003 A $2.2 million project for new Sodus Bay Bridge is put on hold. Rotted pylons were a severe problem.
2005 Removal of the old bridge began on September 27, 2004. The new Sodus Bay Bridge opened May 27, 2005. The bridge was rebuilt at a cost of $3.8 million. Wayne County’s cost was only 5%. State and Federal aid paid for the rest. Tuscarora Construction of Pulaski had the construction bid. Barton & Loguidice, P.C. designed and inspected the bridge. 28 spans. 80 to 100-foot steel pilings, two 11-foot lanes, plus five-foot shoulders for a bike path, and a 6-foot walkway on the north side – a popular spot for fishermen. This bridge is expected to last for 50 years. (Information regarding this construction was taken from Wayne County Star, January 26, 2005. Tammy Whitacre, reporter)
This timeline was constructed from the clippings and notes from the files of the Town of Huron Historical Collection and online historical resources.