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Key Facts |
Bridge Name | Type | Road | Location | City | Crossing |
| Nebraska Bridge | Truss | Nebraska Road | Forest County, PA | Rural (Nebraska) | Tionesta Creek |
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Technical Facts |
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Construction Date |
Structure Length | Deck Width |
| 1933 | 187 Feet | 28 Feet |
I do not know if people knew this was going to happen when they built this bridge, but this bridge is noted for annually being flooded well above the deck, making this a "seasonal" crossing to say the least. Given this, when I headed over to Pennsylvania after their record rain and flooding, it was doubtful that I would be able to get to this bridge. However, I appeared to be with a few hours of water drying up off the deck. The bridge had been underwater recently, but the levels had dropped enough to let me onto the bridge. There was a tree caught in the trusses, so I can assume the bridge was quite flooded at some point!
Beyond being the submersable bridge, this is a good example of a standard plan massive-member Parker truss in Pennsylvania. Givens its rather rural location, I do not see its flooding problem to be enough reason to demolish the bridge. Although it is posted for a 15 tone weight limit, the bridge appeared to be in decent shape.
The historic bridge inventory says that the bridge is closed. It appears to only be closed when flooded out, otherwise you can drive across the bridge. I also saw no evidence of a sidewalk, or lattice railing. I assume it was removed at some point.
Information and Findings From Pennsylvania's Historic Bridge InventoryDiscussion of Bridge The 1933, riveted, single span, 187'-long, Parker thru truss bridge is supported on concrete abutments with flared wingwalls. The trusses have built up upper and lower chords and rolled section verticals and diagonals. A portion of the sidewalk has been lost, and its lattice railing has been significantly damaged. The bridge, built to a state highway department standard design used with great frequency since the mid 1920s, has no innovative or distinctive details. An undistinguished example of its technology, the bridge is neither historically nor technologically significant. Discussion of Surrounding Area The bridge carries a 2 lane road and sidewalk over a stream that is part of the Tionesta Lake flood control impounding area. The dam is approximately 4 miles upstream. The water level is just before the bridge deck, and the bridge is currently closed to all traffic. The setting is forested and sparsely developed, and does not have historic district potential. Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: No |
