About Buffalo Creek S Bridge
The Buffalo Creek S Bridge is located near Taylorstown in Washington County, Pennsylvania. Constructed in 1818, 2 it carries the National Road and U.S. Route 40 over Buffalo Creek.
History
The crossing is one of several masonry S bridges built in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and it contains a 130-foot twin stone arch span over the creek, set on a line perpendicular to the stream’s flow, while the roadway curves on either side of the arch. Built of cut stone laid in courses of one foot or more, the S Bridge originally had a brick floor. 1 Its distinctive S-shaped form is both unusual and practical. The curves ease the approaches to the crossing, reduce the length of arch needed to span the stream, avoid steeper grades, and help protect the backfill from erosion.
The S Bridge was bypassed when U.S. Route 40 was realigned in 1929, a realignment that required removing the western approach to the S Bridge.
In 1974, the Buffalo S Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and is designated as a historic bridge by the Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation.
Structure
Dimensions & Classification
| Structural Form | Arch — Stone |
|---|---|
| Primary Material | Stone |
| Total Length | 130' |
| Deck Width | 45' |
Photographs
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Sources & Citations
References for this location, in MLA format.
- Loveday, Amos J. Jr. “S” Bridge II. National Park Service, July 1972.
- “Historic marker.”
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