George Sherwood Richardson (1896–1988) was an American engineer known for his elegant bridges, innovative construction techniques and skillful planning of highways. Designer of many bridges in the Pittsburgh and Allegheny County areas in the 20th century, he has been called "the dean of Pittsburgh bridge engineers".

Early life and education

Born in Georgetown, Colorado, he served in World War I prior to graduating from the University of Colorado in 1920.

Engineering career

After a stint with the Wyoming Department of Highways and time on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania, Richardson moved to Pittsburgh in 1922 to work for the American Bridge Company before he joined the Allegheny County Department of Public Works in 1924, where he went on to rise to be assistant chief engineer by the time he left in 1937.

Richardson, Gordon & Associates

In 1939 he founded his own firm, as George S. Richardson, Consulting Engineer; after taking on partners, the firm was renamed to Richardson, Gordon & Associates in 1955. It has been involved in the planning and design of many major highway projects across the United States. In the 1980s, the company was acquired by international architectural and engineering conglomerate

HDR, Inc. HDR, Inc. is an employee-owned design firm, specializing in engineering, architecture, environmental, and construction services. HDR has worked on projects in all 50 U.S. states and in 60 countries, including notable projects such as the Hoover ...

Among other notable work, the firm created the erection process and custom equipment used to put up the Eero Saarinen-designed Saint Louis Gateway Arch. Richardson retired in 1973 and moved from Pittsburgh in 1975, splitting time between homes in Tucson, Arizona and Coloardo Springs, Colorado. He died of a heart attack at the age of 92 at his home in Colorado and was buried in Waterford, Pennsylvania.

Notable projects

* Pittsburgh Point Bridge II, 1925 * Liberty Bridge, 1928 *

McKees Rocks Bridge The McKees Rocks Bridge is a steel trussed through arch bridge which carries the Blue Belt, Pittsburgh's innermost beltline, across the Ohio River at Brighton Heights and McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, west of the city. At long, it is the longe ...

, 1931 *

George Westinghouse Bridge George Westinghouse Memorial Bridge in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, carries U.S. Route 30, the Lincoln Highway The Lincoln Highway is the first transcontinental highway in the United States and one of the first highways designed expressl ...

, 1932 *

West End Bridge The West End Bridge is a steel tied-arch bridge over the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, approximately below the confluence of the Allegheny River, Allegheny and Monongahela River, Monongahela Rivers. It connects the West End (Pittsburgh), ...

, 1932 * Tenth Street / Philip Murray Bridge, 1933 *

Homestead Grays Bridge The Homestead Grays Bridge, also known as the (Homestead) High Level Bridge, was built in 1936 and spans the Monongahela River between Homestead Borough and the southernmost tip of Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. It is notable as the fir ...

, 1936 *

Jerome Street Bridge The Jerome Street Bridge is an arch bridge across the Youghiogheny River connecting the east and west banks of the Pittsburgh industrial suburb of McKeesport, Pennsylvania. The bridge is a rare steel crescent arch bridge. A crescent arch is formed ...

, 1937 *

Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge The Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge is a four-lane, steel through arch bridge crossing the Delaware River between Burlington Township, Burlington County, New Jersey and Bristol Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. As a part of Interstat ...

, 1955 *

Fort Pitt Bridge The Fort Pitt Bridge is a steel, double-decked tied arch bridge, bowstring arch bridge that spans the Monongahela River near its confluence with the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It carries Interstate 376 between the Fort Pitt Tunn ...

, 1959 * Fort Duquesne Bridge, 1963 *

Fern Hollow Bridge The Fern Hollow Bridge is the name used for one of a series of three bridges in the East End (Pittsburgh), East End of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; each bridge carried Forbes Avenue over a large ravine in Frick Park. The first Fern Hollow Bridge ope ...

, 1973

Industry service

* American Society of Civil Engineers - National Director *

American Institute of Consulting Engineers American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the " United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, ...

- President * American Road Builders' Association, Engineering Division - President

Awards

* National Society of Professional Engineers. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Chapter - Distinguished Service Award *

American Society of Military Engineers American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

- Distinguished Service Award In 1987, the Engineer's Society of Western Pennsylvania established the George S. Richardson medal, which has since been awarded annually for an outstanding achievement in bridge engineering.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Richardson, George S 1896 births 1988 deaths American civil engineers University of Colorado alumni University of Pennsylvania faculty People from Georgetown, Colorado 20th-century American engineers