West End-North Side Bridge
Why it's listed
Spanning the Ohio River about a mile below the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers in Pittsburgh, the West End-North Side Bridge carries a major north-south highway connection. Allegheny County's Bureau of Bridges approved the design in September 1930, and the Pennsylvania Public Service Commission approved construction in August 1931. The American Bridge Company fabricated and erected the structural steel, and the bridge cost $3,675,000. Its main span is a 778-foot tied arch, where the arch thrust is taken by the bottom chord of the truss rather than by masonry, a method compared to the string of a bow. Seven pony truss spans extend the total length to 1,891 feet, 3 inches. Improvements in 1948 and 1955 added new decking and barriers. The nomination regards the bridge as an engineering achievement, citing it as the second tied-arch bridge built and the greatest use of prestressed hangers in a bridge, while noting its graceful appearance.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the bridge is an engineering achievement. It is described as the second tied-arch bridge and the greatest application of prestressed hanger principles in a bridge, with the arch thrust resisted by the truss bottom cord rather than by masonry masses. Its design is also described as one of the most beautiful and graceful bridges in 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 79003143, listed August 24, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Western Ave. and Carson St., Pittsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Allegheny County |
| Listed | August 24, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003143 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1930-1932 |
| Architect / builder | American Bridge Company (steel fabrication and erection) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 40.44801, -80.02622 (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 79003143.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7985069
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.