The Bridges of Pittsburgh play an important role in the city's transportation system. Without
bridges, the Pittsburgh region would be a series of fragmented valleys, hillsides, river plains, and isolated communities.
A 2006 study determined that, at the time,
Pittsburgh had 446 bridges. With its proximity to three major rivers and countless hills and
ravines, Pittsburgh is known as ''"The City of Bridges"''.
History
Pittsburgh's first river bridges, made of wood and long since replaced, opened in 1818 at Smithfield Street and 1819 at Sixth Street (then St. Clair Street). The city's oldest in-service bridge is the current
Smithfield Street Bridge
The Smithfield Street Bridge is a lenticular truss bridge crossing the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
The bridge was designed by Gustav Lindenthal, the engineer who later designed the Hell Gate Bridge in New York City. The S ...
, which opened in 1883; it was designated a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1976.
Pittsburgh waged a massive road and bridge building campaign from 1924 to 1940; most of Pittsburgh's oldest major bridges date from this period. The coming of the
Interstate Highway System triggered more construction in the second half of the twentieth century, as vehicular speed and throughput requirements increased. The result of more than 100 years of bridge building is a collection of most of the major types of bridge (
suspension,
cantilever
A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a canti ...
,
arch
An arch is a vertical curved structure that spans an elevated space and may or may not support the weight above it, or in case of a horizontal arch like an arch dam, the hydrostatic pressure against it.
Arches may be synonymous with vault ...
, etc.), mostly built from locally produced
steel, including about forty river spans.
Many of the bridges in the Downtown area are colored Aztec Gold, either constructed as such or painted afterward, to match the city's official colors of black and gold. A few old and out-of-service bridges, such as the
Hot Metal Bridge
The Hot Metal Bridge is a truss bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that crosses the Monongahela River. The bridge consists of two parallel spans on a single set of piers: the former Monongahela Connecting Railroad Bridge, built in 1887, on the u ...
(which stood dormant until reopening as a passenger bridge in the year 2000), are exceptions to this rule.
Degrading bridge conditions
According to a 2011 study by
Transportation for America
Transportation for America (or T4A) is an American policy organization that supports progressive transportation and land use policy. The transportation program of Smart Growth America, T4A supports reforming transportation policy at the federal, s ...
, 1,194 bridges in the Pittsburgh area—or 30.4%—were deficient, the highest proportion in the nation.
On February 8, 2008, the
Birmingham Bridge
The Birmingham Bridge (known during construction as the Brady Street Bridge) is a bowstring arch bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which crosses over the Monongahela River. The bridge connects East Carson Street on the South Side with Fifth a ...
suffered a failure of its rocker bearings, causing the deck to drop eight inches, prompting a closure of the bridge. The bridge was repaired and fully reopened on September 8, 2008
On January 28, 2022, the
Fern Hollow Bridge across
Frick Park
Frick Park is the largest municipal park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, covering . It is one of Pittsburgh's four historic large parks.
History
The park began when Henry Clay Frick, upon his death in 1919, bequeathed south of Clay ...
collapsed, forcing the closure of
Forbes Avenue
Forbes Avenue is one of the longest streets in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It runs along an east–west route for a length of approximately .
History
According to historical writer and blogger Leon J. Pollom, the lowest section of F ...
through the park. The bridge was covered with snow when it collapsed at 6:39 a.m. local time as it was being crossed by several cars and a bus.
Major bridges
This table lists all bridges crossing the
Allegheny,
Monongahela and
Ohio rivers in the City of Pittsburgh limits. Other large or notable bridges are also included.
Monongahela River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River ( ) is a long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York. The Allegheny River runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border northwesterly into New York then in ...
Ohio River
Other bridges
This table lists some other major bridges within the City of Pittsburgh limits.
Notable bridges
*The
Fort Pitt Bridge
The Fort Pitt Bridge is a steel, double-decked 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 Tunnel and Downtown ...
is a steel
bowstring arch bridge
A tied-arch bridge is an arch bridge in which the outward horizontal forces of the arch(es) caused by tension at the arch ends to a foundation are countered by equal tension of its own gravity plus any element of the total deck structure such grea ...
that spans the
Monongahela River near its confluence with the
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River ( ) is a long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York. The Allegheny River runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border northwesterly into New York then in ...
at the point. It carries
Interstate 376
Interstate 376 (I-376) is a major auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System in the US state of Pennsylvania, located within the Allegheny Plateau. It runs from I-80 near Sharon south and east to a junction with the Pennsylvania Tur ...
between the
Fort Pitt Tunnel
The Fort Pitt Tunnel is a vehicular tunnel under Mount Washington in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It connects the West End region on the southwest side to the South Shore neighborhood on the northeast side. The adjoining Fort Pitt Bridge on the n ...
and
Point State Park.
*The
Fort Duquesne Bridge
The Fort Duquesne Bridge is a steel bowstring arch bridge that spans the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was colloquially referred to as " The Bridge to Nowhere".
History
The bridge was constructed from 1958-1963 by PennDOT, and ...
is a steel tied arch bridge that spans the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh. It carries
Pennsylvania Route 65
Pennsylvania Route 65 (PA 65, also known as the 65th Infantry Division Memorial Highway), is a major state highway located in western Pennsylvania, United States. The route, traveling north–south from the Interstate 279/ U.S. Route 19 Truck (I ...
/
Interstate 279 (North Shore Expressway), which runs through Downtown Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle towards
Interstate 79.
*The
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 and Monongahela Rivers. It connects the West End to the Chateau neighborhood on the North S ...
is a large steel bowstring arch bridge which crosses the Ohio River. It is the first bridge on the Ohio River heading toward the Mississippi River. The bridge carries
U.S. Route 19.
*The
Liberty Bridge crosses over the Monongahela River, joining
Interstate 579
Interstate 579 (I-579) is a north–south Interstate Highway entirely within Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The highway is long. I-579 is also known as the Crosstown Boulevard since it crosses the backside of Downtown Pittsburgh.
The northern term ...
at its southern terminus.
*
The Three Sisters are three parallel, nearly identical self-anchored suspension bridges that cross the Allegheny River at 6th, 7th, and 9th streets. The bridges have been recently renamed for prominent Pittsburgh residents:
Roberto Clemente Bridge
The Roberto Clemente Bridge, also known as the Sixth Street Bridge, spans the Allegheny River in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.
History
First bridge
The original bridge at the site was a wooden covered bridge with six spans, ...
,
Andy Warhol Bridge
Andy Warhol Bridge, also known as the Seventh Street Bridge, spans the Allegheny River in Downtown Pittsburgh. It is the only bridge in the United States named for a visual artist. It was opened at a cost of $1.5 million on June 17, 1926, in a c ...
, and
Rachel Carson Bridge __NOTOC__
Rachel Carson Bridge, also known as the Ninth Street Bridge, spans the Allegheny River in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States. The total length is including the main span and two side spans, or including the approa ...
.
*The
Smithfield Street Bridge
The Smithfield Street Bridge is a lenticular truss bridge crossing the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
The bridge was designed by Gustav Lindenthal, the engineer who later designed the Hell Gate Bridge in New York City. The S ...
is a
lenticular truss bridge crossing the Monongahela River. Its two main lenticular spans make the bridge very recognizable. It is a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, according to a plaque on the bridge.
See also
*
*
*
*
List of tunnels in Pittsburgh
*
Crossings of the Ohio River in Pennsylvania
*
Crossings of the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania
*
Crossings of the Monongahela River in Pennsylvania
*
List of bridges and tunnels in New York City
New York City is home to many bridges and tunnels. Several agencies manage this network of crossings. The New York City Department of Transportation owns and operates almost 800. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Port Authority of New Yo ...
References
External links
Allegheny County entry at Historic Bridges*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pittsburgh Bridges
Bridges in Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh-related lists