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picture of bridge

View south (toward Ohio River) on Forest Av

More detail photos

OFFICIAL NAME:
Forest Avenue Bridge

OTHER DESIGNATION:
Ohio River Boulevard over Forest Av

LOCATION:
Ben Avon

USGS 7.5" Topo Quad - UTM Coordinates:
Emsworth - Zone 17; 0577 4484
CARRIES:
Ohio River Boulevard [PA65]

BETWEEN:
-- Western Av
-- Brighton Av

CROSSES:
-- Forest Av


TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION / DESIGN:
Concrete rigid frame



LENGTH OF MAIN SPAN:
63 ft

TOTAL LENGTH (including longest elevated ramp):
63 ft

HEIGHT OF DECK:



YEAR ERECTED / ENGINEER:
1930, Allegheny County


ADDITIONAL INFO:
Metal builder's plaques are mounted on the railings on each side:

ALLEGHENY COUNTY
FOREST AVENUE BRIDGE
ERECTED 1930

COMMISSIONERS
JOS. G. ARMSTRONG, CHAIRMAN   E. V. BABCOCK    CHAS. C. McGOVERN

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
DIRECTOR NORMAN F. BROWN   CHIEF ENGINEER V. R. COVELL

CONTRACTOR BOOTH & FLINN COMPANY




from the PennDOT Historic Bridges Survey:
"The bridge carries 4 lanes of Ohio River Boulevard (SR 65) and 2 sidewalks over Forest Avenue in Ben Avon in a residential area with 1910s and 1920s houses. The bridge was built as part of the Ohio River Boulevard, the highway designed to speed traffic to the McKees Rocks bridge. The highway has lost integrity due to alterations to its original geometry and roadside features as well as extensive modern development along it. Neither the highway nor the setting have historic district potential.

The 1930, skewed, single span, 63'-long, reinforced concrete rigid frame bridge had Art Moderne influenced steel railings like those used all along Ohio River Boulevard. While Ohio Boulevard has lost many of its aspects of integrity and is not a historic corridor, this bridge ranks as one of the earliest rigid frame bridges in the state, and as such is individually significant. Allegheny County was a national leader in the use of new bridge building technologies, and that it should be the location of the earliest rigid frame bridges built in the state speaks to the ability of the county's department of public works. The bridge is historically and technologically significant."


FIELD CHECKED:
14-Aug-2004

INFO SOURCES:
field check, PennDOT Historic Bridges Survey


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Introduction -- Nearby Structures


Page created:
Last modified: 28-Sep-2004

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