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West End Bridge

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The West End Bridge is a steel tied-arch bridge over the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) below the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. It connects the West End to the Chateau neighborhood on the North Side of Pittsburgh.

West End Bridge
Coordinates40°26′47″N 80°01′37″W / 40.44631°N 80.02699°W / 40.44631; -80.02699
Carries4 lanes of US 19
2 pedestrian walkways
CrossesOhio River
LocalePittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Official nameAllegheny County Bridge No 3 Ohio River
Other name(s)West End-North Side Bridge
Maintained byPennDOT
Characteristics
DesignTied-arch bridge
MaterialSteel
Total length1,310.75 feet (399.52 m) (current configuration)
1,978.75 feet (603.12 m) (as built)
Width58 feet (18 m)
Longest span780 feet (240 m)
Piers in water1
Clearance below66 feet (20 m) (current configuration)
73 feet (22 m) (as built)
History
Construction cost$3,640,000[citation needed]
OpenedDecember 2, 1932
Statistics
Daily traffic32,000[1]
Designated1979
Designated2001[2]
Location
Map

The bridge was built from 1930 to 1932 primarily by the American Bridge Company (superstructure) and the Foundation Company (substructure).[3] Th e bridge was designed by George S. Richardson.[4] It was the longest tied-arch bridge in the world when completed, and just the second bridge to use tied-arch technology over a long span, after the Tacony–Palmyra Bridge (1929) in Philadelphia.[5] The bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and the List of Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmarks in 2001. As of 2016, the bridge and its surrounding approaches are undergoing some major reconstruction.

The Riverlife Task Force conducted a competition in the spring of 2006 to design a pedestrian bridge across the Ohio attached to the West End Bridge. The goal of the competition was to create an iconic architectural element which ties both shore neighborhoods with the waterfronts while eliminating the need for pedestrians to cross traffic lanes and empty lots. The winning design [6] was submitted by Endres Ware (now Endrestudio) in association with OLIN, Ammann & Whitney Archived 2006-02-03 at the Wayback Machine, Auerbach Glasow, and RWDI.

Description

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As originally built, the West End Bridge consisted of eight spans (listed from south to north):[7]

  • Deck girder - 89.75 feet (27.36 m)
  • Warren pony truss - 155 feet (47 m)
  • Warren pony truss - 140.75 feet (42.90 m)
  • Warren pony truss - 145.25 feet (44.27 m)
  • Warren pony truss - 145.25 feet (44.27 m)
  • Tied-arch main span - 780 feet (240 m)
  • Warren pony truss - 178.25 feet (54.33 m)
  • Warren pony truss - 157.25 feet (47.93 m)
  • Warren pony truss - 157.25 feet (47.93 m)
  • Warren pony truss - 175.25 feet (53.42 m)

The four northern approach spans were demolished in 1990 to build a new interchange with Ohio River Boulevard.[8] The roadway measures 40 feet (12 m) curb-to-curb, carrying four traffic lanes, with 9-foot (2.7 m) sidewalks on either side.[5]

When built, the bridge had a clearance of 73 feet (22 m) above the Ohio River.[3] After construction of the Emsworth Dam in 1938, the clearance was reduced to 66 feet (20 m).[9]

 
Construction of the West End Bridge

History

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A bridge connecting the North Side to the West End was first proposed in 1912 by Pittsburgh businessman Henry Tranter (1865–1940). Tranter formed a committee to lobby for the bridge and spent more than a decade promoting the project. When the bridge was finally dedicated in 1932, Tranter served as master of ceremonies. For these reasons, he was remembered as the "Father of the West End Bridge".[7]

In 1928, Pittsburgh voters approved a $43.7 million bond issue to fund a variety of public works, including the West End Bridge, McKees Rocks Bridge, South Tenth Street Bridge, Saw Mill Run Boulevard, Allegheny River Boulevard, and Allegheny County Airport.[10] Work on the West End Bridge began in 1930, with the contracts for the substructure and superstructure being awarded to the Foundation Company of New York and the American Bridge Company, respectively. The bridge was dedicated five months ahead of schedule on December 2, 1932.[7]

In the 1970s, planning began for an interchange at the north end of the bridge which would be the "missing link" between the Fort Duquesne Bridge and the newly expanded Ohio River Boulevard.[11] However, work did not begin until 1990.[12] During the $46 million project, the bridge was fully rehabilitated and its four northern approach spans were replaced with a new set of ramps. It reopened in 1991.[13] The U.S. Department of Transportation determined that removal of the approach spans did not compromise the qualities that made the bridge eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.[7]

Photos of the West End Bridge

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  •  
    Looking downstream
  •  
    Looking upstream

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Holding down the fort". December 6, 2007. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  2. ^ Historic Landmark Plaques 1968-2009 (PDF). Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
  3. ^ a b "McKees Rocks and West End Steel Arches". Engineering News-Record. 106 (17). McGraw Hill Publications Company: 676–680. 23 April 1931. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  4. ^ historicpittsburgh.org https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt:MSP285.B010.F18.I01#:~:text=The West End Bridge, spanning,a 778-foot tied arch. Retrieved 2024-10-04. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ a b "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination Form: West End Bridge". National Park Services. August 24, 1979. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  6. ^ "Firm's winning design for West End Bridge uses suspended walkways". post-gazette.com.
  7. ^ a b c d "44. PAVING SUPERSTRUCTURE & NORTH APPROACH, GENERAL PLAN & ESTIMATED QUANTITIES. (Sheet 1 of 5 sheets), September 18, 1931 - West End-North Side Bridge, Spanning Ohio River, approximately 1 mile downstream from confluence of Monongahela & Allegheny rivers, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA". Library of Congress. Historic American Engineering Record. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  8. ^ Mausteller, William (July 1, 1990). "Boy, 9, has a blast at West End Bridge". Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved September 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Kidney, Walter C. (1999). Pittsburgh's Bridges Architecture and Engineering. Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. p. 160.
  10. ^ "Voters Favor Bond Issue's Seven Items". Pittsburgh Press. June 27, 1928. Clippings of the first page and second page via Newspapers.com. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
  11. ^ Grata, Joe (September 30, 1973). "Missing Link North Side Dead End". Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved September 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Grata, Joe (May 18, 1990). "W. End Bridge closing June 5 for 16 months". Pittsburgh Press. Clippings of the first page and second page via Newspapers.com. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
  13. ^ "It's 'go' for the West End Bridge". Pittsburgh Press. July 3, 1991. Retrieved September 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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