Long Island Motor Parkway Bridge Series #49: The Botto Farmway Bridge in Old Bethpage
The 49th bridge in the series documenting the 65 bridges built by the Long Island Motor Parkway is the Botto Farmway Bridge in Old Bethpage (the site is now located in Bethpage State Park). As part of the purchase of 16 acres of John Botto's 170-acre property, the Motor Parkway agreed to build a small farmway bridge to connect the east and west sections of Botto Farm.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
March 1908 Survey
July 1908 Construction Photos
1928 Motor Parkway Atlas
This Motor Parkway Atlas shows the planned "Botto Farmway" bridge connecting the farm.
November 16, 1935 Aerial
This 1935 aerial looking west. The Motor Parkway is in the center of the photo crossing Round Swamp Road near the middle top.
The Botto Farmway Bridge can be seen crossing the Motor Parkway on the left corner of the aerial.
1939 Aerial
This 1939 aerial of Bethpage is hanging in the Bethpage State Park Clubhouse, home of the 2000 and 2009 US Open.
A close-up of the aerial reveals the Botto Farmway Bridge.
1950 Aerial
According to Joe DeBono, only the abutments were still standing in 1950.
1981 Photos
In his tour of the Motor Parkway in 1981, Ron Ridolph documented the abutments of the bridge.
Ron discovered a piece of the parkway near the abutments.
Current Views
Due to safety concerns within Bethpage State Park, New York State removed the concrete abutments sometime in the 1990s.
Only a small hill currently marks the location of one of the bridge abutments.
Check out Wayne Consolla's online Motor Parkway map to find the location of the Plainview Road Bridge.
Comments
Hi Howard,This is Joseph DeBono. The Botto bridge abutments where the only thing standing in the mid 1960’s Keep up the good work
I remember coming across these abutments in the mid 80’s. The forman said they were the “remains of the old motor pkwy”. And from that my interest grew. Now I’m ready to tackle the latest mystery photo.