The W.D. Mansfield Memorial Bridge, commonly known as the Dravosburg Bridge, is a

cantilever bridge A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end (called cantilevers). For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beam (structure), beams; however, large cantilever ...

that carries vehicular traffic across the

Monongahela River The Monongahela River ( , )—often referred to locally as the Mon ()—is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 river on the Allegheny Plateau in North Cen ...

between

McKeesport, Pennsylvania McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is situated at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and within the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The population was 17,727 as of the 2020 census. It ...

and

Dravosburg, Pennsylvania Dravosburg ( ) is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 1,612 at the 2020 census. Dravosburg is located along the Monongahela River. History A post office called ...

. It is a high-level bridge, passing over railyard, industrial sites, and Route 837, to connect Fifth Avenue in McKeesport and Richland Avenue in Dravosburg.

History

This structure replaced the low-level 1889 Dravosburg-Reynoldton Bridge. The steel from the

Wabash Bridge (Pittsburgh) The Wabash Bridge was a railroad bridge across the Monongahela River at Pittsburgh. It was constructed between 1902 and 1904 by railroad magnate George J. Gould for his Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway. The Wabash Bridge carried rail traffic ...

, demolished in 1948, was used in the construction of this bridge. As built, the Mansfield Bridge carried trolley tracks of

Pittsburgh Railways Pittsburgh Railways was one of the predecessors of Pittsburgh Regional Transit. It had 666 PCC cars, the third largest fleet in North America (after Toronto (745) and Chicago (683)). It had 68 streetcar routes, of which only three (until April 5 ...

route 56 ''McKeesport via 2nd Avenue''. The trolley line was replaced by a bus on September 5, 1963. The bridge is named for McKeesport politician William D. Mansfield, who served as an Allegheny County Commissioner and later as a

State Senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of 49 U ...

References

Bridges over the Monongahela River Bridges in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Road bridges in Pennsylvania McKeesport, Pennsylvania Steel bridges in the United States Cantilever bridges in the United States {{Pennsylvania-bridge-struct-stub

History

See also

References