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| Key Facts |
| Bridge Name | Facility Carried / Feature Intersected | Location | Structure Type | Construction Date and Builder/Engineer | |
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Brownsville Bridge
Old Brownsville Bridge | Bridge Street (PA-2067) Over Monongahela River and Railroad (Norfolk Southern) | Rural: Fayette County, Pennsylvania and Washington County, Pennsylvania | Metal 20 Panel Pin-Connected Pennsylvania Through Truss, Fixed and Approach Spans: Metal Through Girder, Fixed | 1914 By Builder/Contractor: Fort Pitt Bridge Works of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Technical Facts |
| Rehabilitation Date | Main Span Length | Structure Length | Roadway Width | Main Spans | Approach Spans | NBI Number |
| 1987 | 520 Feet (158.5 Meters) | 945 Feet (288 Meters) | 22.6 Feet (6.9 Meters) | 1 | 7 | 62206700100000 |
This bridge has a 20 panel 519 foot pin-connected Pennsylvania
truss main span.
The shear size of this bridge's main span reminds me of the 460 foot main span of the Blue Rock Road Bridge in Ohio, which was built in the same year as the Brownsville Bridge, 1914. Indeed the Brownsville Bridge's main span is 59 feet longer than Blue Rock's but both are equally impressive structures. This is also a rare case where the Ohio bridge is being demolished, but this Pennsylvania bridge is apparently not threatened... yet. Also as well as lengths are being discussed, this bridge makes an interesting comparison to the massive span of the Hulton Bridge which actually turns out to be the same as Blue Rock at a 460 foot main span. Perhaps the extensive sway bracing on the 1908 Hulton Bridge, which is three latticed "panels" tall instead of two as on the Brownsville Bridge, that gives the illusion of extra size on the Hulton Bridge.
The Brownsville Bridge is indeed historically significant for its span length, which was quite an achievement when it was built. The bridge is aesthetically noted for its impressive span as well, which is complimented by a complex Pennsylvania truss configuration, pinned connections, and extensive v-lacing and lattice. Be sure to read the data pages on the HAER entry for this bridge, which offer a good deal of technical background and history. In modern times, and in a somewhat tragic light, this bridge is significant as one of the last remaining large-span historic bridges remaining over the Ohio/Allegheny/Monongahela Rivers in Pennsylvania. The historic bridges of these waterways, despite their significance as priceless historic landmarks, have been systematically slaughtered by PennDOT. It is unclear what has kept this bridge safe to date.
The substructure of the bridge was built by Crossan Construction Company of Philadelphia and Brownsville, Pennsylvania, a company created by Kennedy Crossan.
Click on a thumbnail or gallery name below to visit that particular photo gallery. If videos are available, click on a video name to view and/or download that particular video.
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2009 Bridge Photo-Documentation
Original / Full Size Photos |
A collection of overview and detail photos, taken 2009. For the best visual immersion and full detail, or for use as a desktop background, this gallery presents the photos for this bridge in the original digital camera resolution. |
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2009 Bridge Photo-Documentation
Mobile Optimized Gallery |
A collection of overview and detail photos, taken 2009. View the photos for this bridge in a reduced size which is useful for mobile/smartphone users, modem
(dial-up) users, or those who do not wish to wait for the longer
download times of the full-size photos. Alternatively, view this photo gallery using a popup slideshow viewer (great for mobile users) by clicking the link below.
Browse Gallery With Popup Viewer |
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2006 Bridge Photo-Documentation
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A collection of overview and detail photos, taken 2006. This photo gallery contains a combination of Original / Full Sized photos and Mobile/Smartphone Optimized (Reduced Size) photos. Alternatively, view this photo gallery using a popup slideshow viewer by clicking the link below.
Browse Gallery With Popup Viewer |
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