Sixteenth Street Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning the Allegheny River between Sixteenth Street and Chestnut Street on Pittsburgh's North Side, this steel through-arch bridge was erected in 1923 to replace an earlier wooden crossing destroyed by fire in 1918. Its three arches are its main visual feature: the central span measures 437 feet, flanked by spans of 229 feet, and its 43-foot roadway carries two-way traffic with two 7-foot walkways. Twin cut-stone piers at each approach carry bronze winged horses by sculptor Leo Lentelli, each bearing an armillary globe, while carved figures of youths and bearded old men look down from the keystones. The Municipal Art Commission of Pittsburgh oversaw the design, which replaced an earlier plan for triumphal arches with simpler piers. The bridge is significant for supporting industrial and warehouse expansion into the North Side, formerly Allegheny City, and for combining engineering, architecture and sculpture in a major urban crossing. It is also described as threatened.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge aided the continued growth of industry and warehousing on the North Side, formerly Allegheny City. It presents the bridge as a major urban transportation link where engineering, architectural design and sculptural decoration are combined. Its design was supervised by the Municipal Art Commission of Pittsburgh, and the sculptural work is by Leo Lentelli. Reviewers also noted that the bridge was threatened and deserved National Register protection.
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 79002163, listed August 13, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | Spans Allegheny River, Pittsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Allegheny County |
| Listed | August 13, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002163 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as threatened. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.45121, -79.99032 (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 79002163.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4552241
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.