Fallston Bridge

The Fallston Bridge carries Front Street over the Beaver River in Fallston, Pennsylvania.

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The Fallston Bridge, a pin-connected Whipple (double-intersection Pratt) through truss, carries Front Street over the Beaver River in Fallston, Pennsylvania.

History

Shortly after the Beaver Division Canal between Rochester and New Castle opened in 1834, the neighboring communities of Fallston and New Brighton began efforts to establish a permanent bridge connection. ³ Fallston emerged early in the canal era as Beaver County’s primary industrial center. Its riverfront supported a dense concentration of industry, including a woolen mill, a scythe factory, a paper mill, a bucket-and-tub works, and a keg factory. In 1826, R. Townsend & Co. constructed a wire and rivet mill that quickly became one of the county’s largest employers.

Because Fallston’s early development was concentrated along the lower riverbank, mill owners and workers often chose to build their homes on the higher ground of New Brighton to avoid frequent seasonal flooding. ³ A ferry operated around the clock between the two towns, providing the only reliable means of transportation for workers crossing the river.

Despite the close economic ties between the communities, it was not until 1836 that construction of a bridge was pursued. ³ Limited access to capital led to the decision to construct a wooden covered toll bridge. Construction began in August 1836 and was completed in November of that year.

The bridge was destroyed during a catastrophic flood on February 7, 1884. ³ As the Beaver River rose overnight, residents of both towns watched as the structure strained under the force of the current. Shortly after 6:00 a.m., the bridge collapsed and was carried downstream, where it struck the Bridgewater Bridge, triggering a chain reaction that ultimately destroyed four bridges along the river.

Less than a month after the disaster, residents of Fallston and New Brighton organized to finance a replacement. ³ The Penn Bridge Company of Beaver Falls was contracted to construct a modern iron bridge, which opened to the public on June 1, 1884. ^{1 3}

By 1932, concerns had emerged that increasing truck traffic was causing damage to the bridge. ⁴ In response, Beaver County purchased the structure in 1940, financing the acquisition through a 30-year bond issue of $54,000. In total, the cost to the county was $118,800. The crossing was rehabilitated in 1978, 1981, and 1989.

By the early 21st century, the bridge was restricted to a three-ton weight limit but continued to experience truck traffic due to the nearby titanium plant and the lack of alternative crossings. To address these constraints, a new bridge was constructed just downstream. The Veterans Memorial Bridge opened on May 26, 2014, after which traffic on the Fallston Bridge was projected to decline to approximately 15 percent of its former volume.

On February 17, 2015, Beaver County officials closed the bridge following a waterline rupture that damaged the pedestrian sidewalk and its supporting elements. ² Prior engineering studies had estimated that between $370,106 and $774,000 in repairs would be required to bring the bridge into compliance. On March 4, the county elected to keep the bridge permanently closed. Demolition has not been scheduled, as removal costs are estimated at $994,910.

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Gallery

Historic American Engineering Record

Photo by Jet Lowe from the spring of 1999.

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Details

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Sources

1. Spivey, Justin M. Fallston Bridge. May 2001. Historic American Engineering Record, HAER No. PA-580, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
2. Taube, David. “Business: Fallston Bridge closing creates long-term safety issues.” Beaver County Times, 9 Mar. 2015.
3. Snedden, Jeffrey. “The historic Fallston Bridge, the oldest in the county, stills sits in limbo.” Beaver County Times, 10 Jul. 2018.
4. Antonetti, Rozan L. “Fallston’s Story.” Beaver County History Online.