The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District has awarded a $4.2 million contract to Michigan-based Ryba Marine Construction Co. for repairs to the Bird Island Pier along the Niagara River. The contract is part of $15.5 million in repairs to the pier, ensuring safe navigation, a strong regional economy, and protection of the City of Buffalo’s main drinking water source.
“The Bird Island Pier is a critical component of the Great Lakes Navigation System, supporting economic growth and strategic value to the nation, as well as great waterfront recreation,” said Lt. Col. Robert Burnham, USACE Buffalo District commander. “We’re proud to deliver this repair for residents and visitors from across the region, ensuring Buffalo’s waterfront continues serving the local community and the country.” Damage to the Bird Island Pier from seiche events, winter storms, and ice damage has resulted in a loss of stone protection, culvert damage, and impacts to the City of Buffalo’s pedestrian walkway. USACE and its contractors will conduct repairs to four sections of the pier, totaling nearly 3,000 linear feet. Work will be conducted in two phases, both beginning in summer 2026. The first phase of repairs will focus on 1,500 linear feet of both the river and channel side of the pier adjacent to the Colonel Ward Pumping Station and Buffalo Yacht Club. This phase is being completed under an $11.3 million contract awarded to Michigan-based Great Lakes Dock and Materials, LLC in September 2024. This phase is scheduled to be completed in fall 2026. The second phase of repairs will focus on more than 1,400 linear feet of the river side along three sections of the pier adjacent to the West Side Rowing Club and Shoreline Trail Bridge. This phase is being completed under a $4.2 million contract awarded to Michigan-based Ryba Marine Construction Co. on December 17. This phase is scheduled to be completed in fall 2027. This project is 100% federally funded under operations and maintenance. ![]() About the Bird Island Pier Bird Island Pier, located at the confluence of the Niagara River in Buffalo, New York, was originally built between 1823 and 1825 to support safe navigation between Lake Erie and the Black Rock Lock and today stretches about 10,507 feet from Unity Island’s Freedom Park to the Black Rock Canal entrance, protecting both the Colonel Ward Pumping Station and Ralph Wilson Jr. Centennial Park from wave action. Over the next century, the pier was repeatedly extended and upgraded — from 3,100 feet of timber crib and stone riprap added by New York state between 1869 and 1901, to its transfer to the federal government in 1905, followed by concrete reconstruction in 1928 and 1929 and the addition of an 800-foot rubble-mound extension in 1936 as part of broader efforts to modernize Great Lakes navigation. About Buffalo Harbor Buffalo Harbor is a deep draft commercial harbor, interconnected with seven commercial ports across the Great Lakes. The harbor includes more than 4.5 miles of breakwater structures and 5.5 miles of federal channel on the Buffalo River. It serves as both a major shipping and receiving port and a harbor of refuge. The harbor handled 1.1 million tons of cargo, including sand & gravel (31%), grain mill products (20%), and limestone (18%) in 2022. Waterborne transportation facilitated by the harbor supports $43.1 million in business revenue, 140 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, and $12.3 million in labor income to the transportation sector. About the Black Rock Canal The Black Rock Canal is considered a part of the Niagara River commercial waterway. The waterway, which includes the Black Rock Channel north of the Black Rock Lock, handled 78,000 tons of cargo, entirely consisting of asphalt, tar, and pitch in 2022. Waterborne transportation facilitated by the harbor supports $5.4 million in business revenue, 18 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, and $1.6 million in labor income to the transportation sector. Photos and video of the Bird Island Pier are available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/buffalousace/albums/72157720292336925/with/51802443997
The Buffalo District delivers world class engineering solutions to the Great Lakes Region, the Army and the Nation to ensure national security, environmental sustainability, water resource management, and emergency assistance during peace and war. Learn more at www.lrd.usace.army.mil/buffalo. For 250 years, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been at the forefront of the nation’s engineering excellence, responding when called. From constructing fortifications during the Revolutionary War, to building the infrastructure that saw America’s strength grow militarily and economically, USACE’s mission has always been to deliver engineering solutions for our nation’s toughest challenges. Learn more about the USACE 250th anniversary at http://www.usace.army.mil/Home/250th.