Dorrington Road Bridge

Location: Collier Township, Allegheny County, PA (view map)
Type: Pony Truss (Pratt), skewed with vertical endposts
Year Built: 1888
Crosses: Robinson Run

Update: The Dorrington Road Bridge has been demolished.

The Dorrington Road Bridge from 1888 was the third oldest public-owned truss bridge in Allegheny County, behind the 1883 Smithfield Street Bridge and the 1886 Leet Street Bridge. However, both of those bridges have been heavily modified, unlike the Dorrington Road Bridge. Other than the asphalt overlay of the wooden deck, the bridge matched its original drawings from 1888! Even the railings were original. The significant bridge was a rare example of a truss with vertical endposts, and it was an early example of a skewed truss. The bridge was composed of wrought iron, with some cast iron connections.

Unfortunately, the historic structure was destroyed in 2009. The bridge was owned by PennDOT, who was willing to transfer ownership prior to demolition. While Collier Township, the local municipality, was interested in saving the structure, they did not have the funding. Eric DeLony, the foremost national expert on historic bridges and former head of the Historic American Engineering Record remarked, “Despite the wealth of historic bridges in Pennsylvania, I’m confident the bridge will be at the top of the list regarding its value, significance, condition and preservation potential.” Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation (PHLF) tried to save the bridge. However, without financial support to relocate this historically significant structure, it was demolished in 2009.