| Key Facts |
| Bridge Name | Facility Carried / Feature Intersected | Location | Structure Type | Construction Date / Builder or Contractor |
| Ridge Avenue Bridge | Ridge Avenue Over Railroad (Norfolk Southern) | Pittsburgh: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania | Metal Riveted Warren Pony Truss, Stationary | 1903 By: Fort Pitt Bridge Works of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Technical Facts |
| Rehabilitation Date | Structure Length | Bridge Width | Roadway Width | Minimum Vertical Underclearance | Main Spans | Approach Spans |
| 1958 | 68 Feet (20.7 Meters) | 80 Feet (24 Meters) | 40.3 Feet (12.3 Meters) | 19 Feet (5.79 Meters) Over Railroad | 1 | None |
This bridge is nearby and of the same design as the Ohio Street Bridge.
The Pennsylvania Historic Bridge Inventory listed the bridge as historic because it is part of a historic railroad line. However, the bridge should be considered individually significant because of its uncommon design, which features bulky girders supporting the sidewalk, and due to its wide, three truss design, all of this presented in a structure that retains good historic integrity. The bridge is also unusual because the bottom chord is designed like a plate girder, which the trusses are built into. In other words, there is no distinction between a gusset plate for the riveted connections and the bottom chord... both are the same piece of steel. The bridge also features attractive pedestrian railings, and is an attractive addition to a bridge on a road that travels through a park setting.
This bridge has been abandoned, and its structural evaluation lists the bridge in bad condition. It however could likely be restored for pedestrian use, which would be a logical decision, since the bridge is located in a park setting (West Park). Because this bridge is abandoned, it is possible that its neighbor on Ohio Street, which remains open to traffic might face demolition, while this bridge would be left alone. If that becomes the case, than the importance of preserving this bridge would become paramount, since these are the only two bridges of this design in the local area.
Information and Findings From Pennsylvania's Historic Bridge InventoryDiscussion of Bridge The single span, 68'-long, rivet connected Warren with verticals pony truss bridge built in 1903 has three truss lines with the middle one dividing the roadway. The lower chords are composed of built-up plate and angles resembling a girder, an unusual detail. The bridge is supported on ashlar abutments that are contiguous with the rail line's retaining walls. In 1957, welded cover plate was added to the lower chord and panel points. The bridge was designed by the Pennsylvania Railroad and fabricated by the Fort Pitt Bridge Works. the bridge is not individually significant, but it is historically significant in association with the PHMC-determined eligible PRR Fort Wayne Divison line. The bridge dates from the line's period of significance and was built during a period when the railroad was actively improving the line for higher speeds and capacity, which included quadruple tracking and grade crossing improvements. Discussion of Surrounding Area The bridge carries a 2 lane street and 1 sidewalk over 3 active Conrail tracks in Pittsburgh's near North Side in Allegheny Commons Park. One block from the bridge is another similar bridge over the same line (BMS# 02730100003118). The railroad is the former PRR Fort Wayne Division line that has been determined eligible by PHMC (DOE 9/14/93). This section of the line was established in the 1850s, and it has historically provided a vital transportation link in the flow of east-west traffic on the PRR system. It was the main route westward from Pittsburgh to Chicago with branches to Detroit, Cleveland, and Toledo. Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: Yes |
