Repairs to Bird Island Pier underway in Niagara River

Repairs to the Bird Island Pier along the Niagara River are underway after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District awarded contracts totaling $15.5 million to Great Lakes Dock and Marine and Ryba Marine Construction Co. The work targets nearly 3,000 feet of the pier with new concrete blocks, grouted stone, and a concrete protective layer to maintain safe navigation. The project supports vessel access between Lake Erie, Buffalo Harbor, the lower Niagara River, and the Erie Canal, while also protecting Buffalo’s main drinking water source. It is scheduled in two phases, with the first phase under an $11.3 million contract starting now and due this fall, and a second phase under a $4.2 million contract planned to finish in fall 2027. Great Lakes Dock and Marine and Ryba Marine Construction Co., along with federal funding, will address damage linked to seiche events, winter storms, and ice. The pier also generates more than $62 million in business revenue and labor income.