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This is a tiny bridge, in fact one of the smallest in the area. However, it is noteworthy for its unusual details. It shares most of these of these details with the Dunbar Bridge, also in Washington County as well as the Book Road Bridge, which suggest that the same bridge builder built these bridges. The Scott Bridge has end posts and top chord that utilize v-lacing instead of cover plate on top of the built-up beams. It also has a very rare detail where the outriggers include the use of star iron, a rare type of rolled beam that was mostly used only in the 1870s on bridges. The Scott Bridge has an unusual bottom chord which is polygonal through the truss. The end panels have a bottom chord that angles up to the bearing. Although the floor beams on the Scott Bridge have been replaced, it is worth noting that the original floorbeams of the Dunbar Bridge are original and they are mounted in the same unusual location as the current floorbeams on the Scott Bridge... above the bottom chord connection, rigidly attached to the vertical members (no hangers). Assuming these two bridges share the same builder, this suggests that the floorbeams on the Scott Bridge replicate the unusual positioning of the original floorbeams, and do not represent a design alteration. The Pittsburgh Bridge Company was noted for avoiding the use of u-bolt hangers in its designs, and it is assumed that the Pittsburgh Bridge Company built the Scott Bridge, Dunbar Bridge, and Book Road Bridge.
The Historic Bridge Inventory's assessment that the bridge is not historic and has no distinctive details is ignorant of the star iron construction and other unusual details discussed above. Any bridge with star iron is rare, old, and noteworthy. The other details add to its significance. This bridge needs to be reevaluated as historic on that basis. The truss webs do not have any major alterations that might diminish their significance. Floor beams are apparently not original, but floor beam replacement is common in preservation projects, so should not condemn this bridge.
Information and Findings From Pennsylvania's Historic Bridge InventoryDiscussion of Bridge The 36' long and 14' wide pin connected Pratt pony truss bridge dated to 1890 has the floor beams above the lower chords. It is a light bridge with the upper chords and inclined end posts being toe-out channels with laced webs. The flooring system is modern with new floor beams have been connected to the verticals by welding. Deep stringers support an open grid deck, and modern welded channel and angle railings have been placed inside the truss lines. The bridge has no innovative or distinctive details. Neither it nor its setting are historically or technologically significant. Discussion of Surrounding Area The bridge carries a one lane unimproved township road over a stream in a rural area of active farms and woods. There are also scattered late-20th century houses. Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: No |
This historic bridge has been demolished. This map is shown for reference purposes only.
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