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Willow Grove Bridge

Willow Grove Bridge

Published January 15, 2026 By Sherman Cahal

The Willow Grove Bridge carried PA Route 18 over the Mahoning River near New Castle (Mahoningtown), Pennsylvania.

Table Of Contents
  1. History
  2. Gallery

The Willow Grove Bridge carried PA Route 18 over the Mahoning River near New Castle (Mahoningtown), Pennsylvania.

History

A covered bridge constructed over the Mahoning River south of Mahoningtown in 1805 was replaced in 1890 by a one-lane steel structure. 1

By the early 1930s, plans emerged to replace that bridge due to a proposed canal project that would have utilized the Mahoning River channel. 4 Because the river was classified as navigable, federal authorization was required, including approval from the United States War Department. 6 Uncertainty over the exact location of the city boundary along the east bank of the river led to a dispute over financial responsibility for the new crossing. A compromise was ultimately reached: the City of New Castle agreed to fund the eastern approach and abutment, the state assumed responsibility for the western approach and abutment, and the county financed the bridge superstructure.

As a result, a new skewed Parker through truss bridge was constructed in 1932 to replace the earlier structure. 4 Built to a standardized design developed by the Pennsylvania State Highway Department, construction began in April 1932, 1 5 with steel erection commencing in September. 7 The project concluded with the dedication of the bridge on December 15. 1

Dedication ceremonies began at 2:30 p.m. with a motorcade led by grand marshal Alex Crawford Hoyt departing from the Castleton Hotel in New Castle. 1 The procession traveled through the southern portions of the city before arriving at the newly completed bridge, where a sizable crowd had gathered despite near-zero temperatures. The bridge was christened by P. O. Elder, a member of the Board of County Commissioners. The ribbon was then cut by two local children, officially opening the bridge to traffic.

Final punch-list work, including debris removal, fencing, and demolition of the previous bridge, continued through January 1933. 3

On August 31, 1934, the crossing was redesignated the Kushuskie Bridge to commemorate a former Delaware (Lenape) Native American village. 1 Under the auspices of the Daughters of the American Colonists, two bronze commemorative tablets were unveiled, the bridge was formally renamed, and C. Hale Sipe delivered a lecture on the history of the Delaware people.

Bids for the construction of an improved section of PA State Route 18 between Wampum and Mahoningtown, a distance of 3.3 miles, were advertised in January 1957. 8 The project called for a nine-inch reinforced concrete pavement, 21 feet in width, with provisions for the addition of two future lanes, along with stabilized shoulders. Improvements also included a 75-foot bridge over Hickory Run and a four-span bridge over the Mahoning River, constructed on a new alignment that bypassed the 1932 bridge.

Construction of the new bridge was completed in the fall of 1958. 1 9 The 1932 structure remained in service but was posted with a weight restriction in 2006 due to structural deficiencies. Following the opening of the new Mahoning River bridge for PA Route 18 and the Hickory Creek Bridge along old PA Route 18 in 2012, the 1932 bridge was closed to automobile traffic. 1

Gallery

Details

  • State: Pennsylvania
  • Route: PA Route 18
  • Status: Abandoned or Closed
  • Type: Girder, Parker Through Truss
  • Total Length: 369' (1932)
  • Main Span Length: 257' (1932)
  • Deck Width: 30' (1932)
  • Roadway Width: 18' (1932)
  • Above Vertical Clearance: 14.5' (1932)

Sources

  1. Bales, Jeff. “Willow Grove Bridge – Willow Grove (New Castle) PA.” Lawrence County Memoirs.
  2. “New Bridge Ready for Travel First of Next Month.” New Castle News, 17 Aug. 1925, p. 2.
  3. “Work is Ended at Bridge Site.” New Castle News, 18 Jan. 1933, p. 14.
  4. “Work on Bridge is Being Rushed.” New Castle News, 19 May 1932, p. 10.
  5. “Getting Ready for Bridge Construction.” New Castle News, 25 Apr. 1932, p. 9.
  6. “To Begin Steps For New Bridge Over Mahoning.” New Castle News, 17 Dec. 1930, pp. 1-2.
  7. “Steel Work is Started on New Mahoning Bridge.” New Castle News, 7 Sept. 1932, p. 14.
  8. “Bids To Be Advertised for US 18 Project.” New Castle News, 28 Dec. 1956, p. 15.
  9. “Route 18 Work Shows Progress.” New Castle News, 19 Aug. 1958, p. 12.

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