Van Gorder Mill Road Bridge

Most Recent Visit To Bridge: July 3, 2006

PennDOT plans to obliterate this historic bridge!

Key Facts

Bridge Name	Type	Road	Location	City	Crossing
Van Gorder Mill Road Bridge	Truss	Van Gorder Mill Road	Lawrence County, PA	Rural	Slippery Rock Creek

Technical Facts

Construction Date	Rehabilitation Date	Structure Length	Deck Width	Builder
1891	1954	277 Feet	16 Feet	Nelson and Buchanan, Agents of the Pittsburgh Bridge Company

This bridge is nearly identical to the two main spans of the great Shanley Road Bridge, and was actually built in the same year by the same company! Regarding the main spans, the only thing different that I noticed (excluding repairs/modifications to the original design) is that the underside of the bottom chord on Van Gorder Mill Road has battens instead of v-lacing. This bridge doesn't hold a candle to the Shanley Road Bridge though, lacking the scenic setting, pony truss approach spans, and unmodified original design, but since the Shanley Road Bridge is demolished, this is all that left. Actually, this bridge won't even be left soon, since PennDOT wants to demolish this bridge as well, which is really not much of a surprise, considering PennDOTs past track record.

Half the time Pennsylvania's historic bridge inventory lists bridges that should be historic as non-historic. Given that, one would not be surprised to see bridges like the Kennedy Mill Bridge being demolished because they don't even see them as historic. However, the Van Gorder Mill Road Bridge is a rare example of a truss bridge that they did determine to be historic! Yet they are still seeking to demolish the bridge. I am unsure what the point of doing the historic bridge inventory is if they are going to demolish even the few bridges actually determined to be historic!

Information and Findings From Pennsylvania's Historic Bridge Inventory

Discussion of Bridge

The two-span, 277'-long, pin-connected Pratt thru truss bridge is supported on an ashlar substructure with concrete caps. It was built in 1891 by the Pittsburgh Bridge Co. It has the distinctive connection of the floorbeams above the lower chords that are typical of the fabricator. There are minor alterations including steel cables added at to the lower chords, rivets replaced by bolts, and there are welded repairs to some lower panel points. The bridge is a documented and early example of an important technology, and it has unusual details such as the floorbeam connections to the truss. It is historically and technologically significant.

Discussion of Surrounding Area

The bridge carries a two-lane road over a stream in a sparsely developed, wooded setting. There are undistinguished and altered early-20th century vernacular houses and some post-World War II houses. The area does not have historic district potential.

Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: Yes