Rosslyn Road Bridge

Information and Findings From Pennsylvania's Historic Bridge Inventory

Discussion of Bridge

The skewed, 3 span, 182'-long, built up thru girder bridge built in 1951 is supported on concrete abutments and concrete columns. The bridge has rolled section floorbeams supporting a concrete deck placed in 1976. The roadway faces of the girders have safety shape concrete barriers also placed in 1976. The bridge is an example of a very common 20th-century bridge type with no individually distinctive or noteworthy details. Its significance is in historic association and physical connection with the Penn Lincoln Parkway, a nationally outstanding post-WW II urban expressway project. The parkway and its associated structures are historically and technologically significant.

Discussion of Surrounding Area

The bridge carries a 1 lane entrance ramp over a six lane, barrier divided highway. The bridge is at an interchange built as part of the Penn Lincoln Parkway (1946-1960), an important engineering achievement that is an outstanding example of post-WW II urban expressway planning and design. Working in response to the growing number of motor vehicles and the expansion of suburbs, the parkway's planners and engineers faced an exceptional challenge to design and build a limited access, median divided expressway in a difficult topography. It required innovative engineering solutions, including the construction of more than 60 bridges, 2 major tunnels, complex interchanges, and the relocation of existing streets and rail lines. The parkway, which was the largest single project directed by the state highway department up to that time, stretches over 19.5 miles in a general east-west direction from US 22 in Churchill to downtown and then west to SR 60 in Robinson Twp. The parkway was built in stages over a period of 14 years, mainly to spread out the huge expense.

Bridge Considered Historic By Survey: Yes