Manchester Bridge (Pittsburgh)
Encyclopedia
The Manchester Bridge was a steel Pratt truss bridge that spanned the Allegheny River
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.
on August 8, 1915. It was closed to traffic on October 17, 1969 when its successor, the Fort Duquesne Bridge
(located closer to the Roberto Clemente Bridge
) opened that same day. It was demolished in the autumn of 1970. Explosives were used to drop the south side span into the river at 18:42 on September 29, 1970. The original attempt 11 hours earlier was unsuccessful when five of the eight charges failed to detonate. Demolition was subcontracted to Controlled Demolition
by Dravos and was overseen by John. D Loizeaux.
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
.
History
The bridge was constructed from 1911-1915. and was opened by Mayor Joseph G. ArmstrongJoseph G. Armstrong
Joseph G. Armstrong was born in what is today the Northside neighborhood of the U.S. city of Pittsburgh. He became a glassmaker and eventually participated in the glass union and labor movement. From his labor connections he was elected to City Council and then ran successfully for County Coroner...
on August 8, 1915. It was closed to traffic on October 17, 1969 when its successor, the Fort Duquesne Bridge
Fort Duquesne Bridge
The Fort Duquesne Bridge is a steel tied arch bridge that spans the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was colloquially referred to as "The Bridge to Nowhere"...
(located closer to the Roberto Clemente Bridge
Roberto Clemente Bridge
The Roberto Clemente Bridge, also known as the Sixth Street Bridge, spans the Allegheny River in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
) opened that same day. It was demolished in the autumn of 1970. Explosives were used to drop the south side span into the river at 18:42 on September 29, 1970. The original attempt 11 hours earlier was unsuccessful when five of the eight charges failed to detonate. Demolition was subcontracted to Controlled Demolition
Controlled Demolition, Inc.
Controlled Demolition, Inc. , founded by Jack Loizeaux in 1947, is a firm headquartered in Phoenix, Maryland that specializes in the use of explosives to create a controlled demolition of a structure, with the structure collapsing on itself into a pile of debris contained within the site of the...
by Dravos and was overseen by John. D Loizeaux.