The bridge across the Keuka Lake outlet in Penn Yan has been finished and traffic is once again back to normal along route 14. From the roadway, the new bridge which is steel and concrete looks almost like part of the road itself. But I do like what was done underneath the bridge as one can follow the trail along the Keuka outlet, cross over the footbridge, and then continue on the outlet trail, passing under the new bridge, to the other side of route 14.
I did hear that business owners along route 14 were unhappy as the traffic was rerouted to the “business district” while the new bridge was being built and they lost some of their business during the construction. I also learned that the owners of the stores in the “business district” were unhappy because their usual customers could not park along the street in front of their favorite store and then pull out onto Main Street with all of the re-routed traffic. Happily, things seem to have returned to normal.
I live near Canandaigua and have always passed through Penn Yan on route 14 on my way to the Windmill, or to the wineries on route 54, or Hammondsport at the southern end of Keuka Lake. Imagine to my surprise that after 13 years of living in the Finger Lakes, I discovered that Penn has a “Main Street” – and an interesting one at that! I guess it’s been hidden away all of these years to protect the horse and buggies which occasionally use Main Street, or to keep the big trucks off of Main Street so that people can park in front of the stores, or to preserve the quaintness of the old historic homes, churches, and memorial park that are located along Main Street.
But now that I have found you out for what you are – two cities in one – I will be coming back to learn more about the “hidden Penn Yan”. It’s time that that part of town comes out of the closet!
