The Silly Reason for the “Time Traveler” on Hudson Valley Bridges

No, you're not hallucinating. There's a time-traveler on top of our Hudson Valley bridges this month. Don't worry, though; it's all in the name of health and safety.

The New York State Bridge Authority (NYSBA) recently shared that their safety policy goes "above and beyond" standard protocols by conducting bridge inspections yearly (regulations dictate that inspections need to be done at least every two years). With a wink and a nod, they included that their yearly inspections are made possible by a "secret weapon"... a man who was born in 1861.

A Time Traveler is on Hudson Valley, NY Bridges

"Are you excited to see where #RoamingRalph is today? He's been hanging out with our inspectors in New York", began a post from Modjeski and Masters, Inc., the company conducting safety inspections on all five Hudson Valley bridges. Roaming Ralph is the nickname given to their cardboard cutout of one of the company's founders, Ralph Modjeski, known colloquially as "America's greatest bridge builder."

New York State Bridge Inspections

Does having a cutout of the late Mr. Modjeski on top of the Bear Mountain Bridge make inspections go more smoothly? Maybe not by any level you could measure scientifically, but it's nice to know that the company, now operating in its second century, keeps the founder and his principles close to everything that they do.

It's also nice to see Modjeski and Masters helping their founder fit in to the current day and age. Without that fitted hat (above), there's no way motorists crossing the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge could pass by without doing a double-take.

Get our free mobile app

The inspection company may have a sense of humor, but it's all for a serious reason. Their website highlights their "commitment to doing the right thing, doing it correctly the first time, and developing relationships that go beyond a project’s completion. Mr. Modjeski and Mr. Masters wouldn’t have had it any other way."