OFFICIAL NAME:
Allegheny Co. Bridge No. 1 Little Sewickley Creek
OTHER DESIGNATION:
Beaver Rd over Little Sewickley Creek
ambr567-3
LOCATION:
Edgeworth
USGS 7.5" Topo Quad - UTM Coordinates:
Ambridge - Zone 17; 0567 4489
CARRIES:
Beaver Rd
BETWEEN:
-- Little Sewickley Creek Rd
-- Shields Ln
CROSSES:
-- Little Sewickley Creek
TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION / DESIGN:
stone arch -- center section concrete
locally-quarried sandstone
outer spandrel wall: rock-faced coursed ashlar
upper walls and parapets: dressed coursed ashlar
arch ring: dressed voussoirs in Roman arch
LENGTH OF MAIN SPAN:
27ft
TOTAL LENGTH (including longest elevated ramp):
75ft
45 ft wide, between parapets
HEIGHT OF DECK:
YEAR ERECTED / ENGINEER:
1841, Charles Davis
Widened and relined 1918, John G. Chalfant
ADDITIONAL INFO:
Two early stone bridge carried the important Beaver Rd from Pittsburgh. To the west, what may be the oldest remaining bridge (1827) in Allegheny County spans Big Sewickley Creek at the boundary of Beaver County. The original part of this crossing of Little Sewickley Creek dates from 1841, during the tenure of Charles Davis as County Engineer. Both bridges were widened and relined 1918-19 by John G. Chalfant, the successor to Davis. Chalfant had worked under Davis and the design of the bridges as rebuilt has the vocabulary of Davis. In years following these two reconstructions, Chalfant would change to his own design featuring stepped voussoirs.
Most of the County's other early stone arch bridges are pure in the sense that the stone voussoirs are used across the full width of the span. Here, however, only the outer course of the arch ring is stone -- the center section is lined in concrete.
FIELD CHECKED:
7-Oct-2002
INFO SOURCES:
field check
