The estimates were off as to how many pigeons had made the Sid Buckwold Bridge their home over the years and how much of their feces would accumulate. Acting Engineering Manager of Major Projects & Preservation, Todd Grabowski, says it was originally estimated there would be about 15-hundred birds but it was more like 23-hundred and crews removed 635-thousand kilograms of pigeon poop, or over 1.4-million pounds.

Grabowski equates it to about 360 medium sized cars parked on the bridge, so getting rid of it took away a significant amount of weight, which was necessary because the structure was at its limit for load carrying capacity. The project remains on budget, but the cost of getting rid of the birds and cleaning the poop was around $800-thousand, plus another $100-thousand in 2011 for pigeon poop cleaning.

Those who use the Sid Buckwold Bridge regularly will be happy to hear the rehabilitation work remains on schedule to fully reopen to traffic at the end of October. It’s a 2 year project though, so next year deck repairs, new asphalt, new barriers, walkway widening, a new drainage system and resurfacing of the Idylwyld Drive ramps over 19th street will begin again on the northbound lanes.