HAER Report

Building the Parkway Drive

By 1917, the BPC had acquired most of proposed parkway reservation north of White Plains. Pollution in the Bronx River had been abated and much of the adjacent land cleaned and cleared. With the general plan completed, Downer prepared a comprehensive construction plan for the 1917 season and several construction contracts were let. Work for 1917 included the initiation of construction on two bridges at Fox Meadow, along with the Broad Street Viaduct, sewer connections, and a river diversion in White Plains. BPC labor crews graded the drive. At the south end of the parkway, the first section of driveway was completed and paved.

The BPC’s first major construction contract was the Broad Street Viaduct, a six-span reinforced concrete arch bridge with a 26'-wide roadway and two 6'-wide sidewalks that crossed the parkway between Mount Vernon and Yonkers. Prior to the establishment of the BPC, the Public Service Commission had prepared and approved plans for a steel viaduct to cross the Bronx River and railroad tracks near Fleetwood Avenue in Mount Vernon. A similar viaduct was planned at Wakefield Avenue in Yonkers. The structures were typical railroad-style viaducts with high steel columns. They were designed to be inexpensive to build and maintain rather than pleasing in appearance. The BPC objected to the designs and maintained that the steel structures were so objectionable that they would be removed if they were built over the parkway. The BPC brought the matter to the attention of appropriate authorities, including the mayors of Mount Vernon and Yonkers. Mount Vernon Mayor Fiske objected to the BPC’s call for a more attractive viaduct, fearing that it would unnecessarily raise the cost of the structure. Despite Fiske’s concerns, the BPC instructed Downer to see that plans were drawn up for a more appropriate design. The next month Downer presented revised plans to the BPC, which approved the design and submitted it to the interested parties.(181) After several conferences with relevant authorities, all parties finally agreed on the BPC’s revised plans for the Broad Street Viaduct. The parties also agreed that the BPC could best supervise construction and guarantee the quality of the structure. The costs were shared by the cities of Mount Vernon and Yonkers, the New York Central Railroad Company, the State of New York, and the BPC. The BPC share was less than 5 percent, which was the approximate additional cost of modifying the spacing of the arches to accommodate the Bronx River and BRPR drive.(182) The BPC hired engineer Guy Vroman was to prepare the plans, specifications, and contract. The architectural designs were reviewed by Hoppin and Koen.(183)

Bids for the Broad Street Viaduct were opened in February 1917. Nine firms competed for the contract, submitted prices that ranged as high as $201,170. The contract was awarded to the Crownbar Construction Company of New York City, which submitted the low bid of $92,590. Work began in April and was approximately 60 percent complete by the end of 1917. Due to the nation’s involvement in World War I, labor and material shortages prevented the completion of the viaduct during 1917.(184)