Liberty Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh, this multiple-span Pratt deck truss bridge was completed in 1928. The Allegheny County Department of Public Works designed it, and Taylor & Dean built it. Its 2,663-foot length includes eight main spans of 470 feet each, carried on riveted members that are heavily engineered. It is regarded as a very good example of a multiple-span Pratt deck truss, and it is the only deck truss in its group of Pennsylvania highway bridges. The main spans are notably long for this type. The bridge also carries one of the principal traffic arteries from south of Pittsburgh into the downtown core, which gives it importance in transportation. Engineering and transportation are the areas of significance. A new deck was installed and the piers reconstructed in 1982, so part of the original fabric has been altered.
Significance in brief: The bridge is regarded as a very good example of a multiple-span Pratt deck truss and is the only deck truss in its group of Pennsylvania highway bridges. Its main spans are extremely long, and the riveted spans are heavily engineered. It also carries one of the principal traffic arteries into downtown Pittsburgh.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88000867, listed June 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Over the Monongahela River, Pittsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Allegheny County |
| Listed | June 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000867 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | V. R. Covell (designer/engineer); Taylor & Dean (builder/contractor) |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered in 1982 with a new deck and reconstruction of the piers. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.43280, -79.99696 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88000867.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6541627
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.