Masontown Bridge

Last updated
Masontown Bridge
Coordinates 39°51′11″N79°55′36″W / 39.8531°N 79.9268°W / 39.8531; -79.9268
Carries4 divided lanes of PA-21.svg PA 21
Crosses Monongahela River
Locale Masontown, Pennsylvania and Monongahela Township, Pennsylvania
Other name(s)Intercounty Bridge
Maintained by PennDOT
Characteristics
Design plate girder bridge
Total length1,700 feet (520 m)
History
Constructed byBrayman Construction
Opened1925
2013–2015
Closed2013
Location
Masontown Bridge

The Masontown Bridge is a four-lane, concrete, plate girder bridge that carries vehicular traffic across the Monongahela River between Masontown, Pennsylvania and Monongahela Township, Pennsylvania (near Carmichaels), by way of Pennsylvania Route 21.

Contents

History and notable features

The current structure was completed and opened in December 2015 after a three-year project costing $49.6 million to replace the previous truss bridge that was built in 1925 and rehabilitated in 1993. [1] The first two lanes of the new bridge were completed in 2013, at which point the old truss bridge was imploded to make way for the other two lanes of the new bridge. It cost $50 million to build the new bridge. [2] The new bridge was constructed by Brayman Construction. [3]

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation undertook the bridge replacement project as part of a years-long effort to modernize and improve Route 21 and expand it in some areas.

The old bridge was one of many large truss bridges built in Pennsylvania and Ohio by Farris Engineering in the 1920s. [4] The bridge was constructed by the Independent Bridge Company, Pittsburgh. [5] The structure passed directly in front of the Hatfield's Ferry Power Station and carried a large amount of associated truck traffic.

It replaced a ferry at the site that had been established in 1769. That was first called the Republican Ferry, but later called McCann Ferry after the family that operated it. [6]

PA 21 on the previous Masontown Bridge, a truss bridge, demolished in 2013 PA 21 on Masontown bridge.jpg
PA 21 on the previous Masontown Bridge, a truss bridge, demolished in 2013

See also

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References

  1. "Masontown bridge completed | Greene Co. | Observer-Reporter". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2019-05-16.
  2. "PennDOT to implode bridge near Masontown". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. September 20, 2013. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  3. "Masontown Bridge". Brayman.com. Archived from the original on January 25, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  4. "Masontown Bridge". Historicbridges.com. August 2007. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
  5. "Rebuild 21 - bridge". Rebuild21.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
  6. Haines, Christine (September 29, 2013). "Masontown Bridge had seen history, reflected older era". Greene County Messenger. Retrieved January 5, 2016.

See also