Demolition of the Williston Park/East Williston LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge
In the early 1980s, Ron Ridolph photographed the Long Island Motor Parkway from Fresh Meadows to Lake Ronkonkoma. Among the events documented by Ron were the demolition of the Motor Parkway bridges over the Long Island Rail Road at Mineola and Williston Park/East Williston. Here are Ron's photos of the Williston Park/East Williston LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge before and after the demolition.
The 1907 survey of the Motor Parkway property from Willis Avenue in Williston Park to the LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge.
The demolition of the Motor Parkway LIRR bridges was funded by the MTA and the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The Williston Park/East Williston LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge prior to its demolition.
The remnants of Williston Park/East Williston LIRR Motor Parkway Bridge after its demolition.
Comments
Was there a bridge over Commack Road, south of the expressway, that was taken down a few years ago?
Hi Andy:
A Motor Parkway bridge at Commack Road was planned but never built.
I believe the last Motor Parkway bridge in Suffolk County was at Deer Park Avenue. Does anyone have a photo of the bridge?
Howard
This is very nostalgic for me. My Aunt lived on a cul de sac, Foxcroft Rd in Albertson. As kids we used to bike from LIMP east to Roslyn Rd going to our Uncle in Mineola. We past the toll house that is a private residence. This was in the early 60’s. Went down to the tracks too!! Years later I was a mailman in Williston Park and delivered mail to that toll house. Thanks for the memories
Valentine’s Farm abutted the LIMP from the railroad bridge to Roslyn road before the property was sold off in the late 1960’s for residential development.
We used to go sledding down the steep incline at
the juncture of the rr bridge down onto the farm during the winter. It was known as “Suicide Hill”.
I had friends who lived on Bengeyfield Drive whose
backyards faced the LIMP and we used to walk on it and the bridge all the time. Good times, swell memories.
I was on the work crew that took down that overpass and the one in Mineola that summer. Tough work.
Great that you found the site here, Cliff. You’ll always remember that part of your working career. Guess you remember Ron Ridolph filming the demolitions.
Andy - your comment/question is 12 yrs old now. You may remembering a concrete overpass which spanned over Commack Rd from the former Edgewood Hospital to another Hospital ( Mason? ) on the west side of Commack Rd. More of a Pedestrian Bridge, don’t think it was wide enough for vehicles. I was curious about it, too. It was demolished when land clearing on the west side.
Cliff - tough work indeed, and amazing that you were part of the work crew that help take down the Motor Pkwy bridge over LIRR in Williston Park. The other bridge in Mineola that you refer to, was it located over Jericho Tpke carrying the LIRR? It would be interesting to know.