Birmingham Bridge
| Birmingham Bridge | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Coordinates | 40°26′00″N 79°58′25″W / 40.4334°N 79.9735°WCoordinates: 40°26′00″N 79°58′25″W / 40.4334°N 79.9735°W |
| Carries | 6 lanes of roadway 1 pedestrian walkway |
| Crosses | Monongahela River |
| Locale | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Other name(s) | pghe587-22 |
| Maintained by | PennDOT |
| Preceded by | Brady Street Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Steel bowstring arch bridge |
| Total length | 1,662 feet (507 m) |
| Longest span | 607 feet (185 m) |
| Clearance below | 64.8 feet (19.8 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | September 2, 1977 |
| Replaces | Brady Street Bridge |
The Birmingham Bridge (known during construction as the Brady Street Bridge) is a tied arch bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which crosses over the Monongahela River. The bridge connects East Carson Street on the South Side with Fifth and Forbes Avenues going to Uptown, Oakland, and the Hill District. It is named in honor of the English city of Birmingham and also for the neighborhood it connects to, which was once called Birmingham, now a part of the South Side.
The Birmingham Bridge was built in 1976. It replaced the South 22nd Street Bridge (aka Brady Street Bridge), which was demolished on May 29, 1978. Six days before the demolition, Pittsburgh Police, Fire, and EMS responded to a construction worker who had pinned his leg near the top of the span. After attempting unsuccessful rescues, they finally hoisted a surgeon to the site and were forced to amputate on site to save the worker's life. After the Brady Street Bridge came down, railings from its remains were rescued by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation and utilized in the construction of the Station Square station.
The Birmingham Bridge is notable for the dead end lanes that were originally to be part of a city belt system. The project was canceled and the bridge rerouted. A pedestrian walkway runs along the downstream side of the bridge, ending at steps at the south abutment of the bridge.
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Wikipedia