Pittsburgh is the home of a lot of interesting people and facts. Everyone knows Pittsburgh as the “Steel City,” or for its three rivers that converge at the Point. Also, you cannot forget about Heinz Ketchup! It seems no matter where you are in the world, there will be a Heinz Ketchup bottle in the vicinity. Isn’t Pittsburgh also the city where all its sports teams share the same color scheme? That is right. The Steelers, Pirates and Penguins all wear the black and gold proudly. And, of course, you can’t forget about Mr. Rogers.
What about the bridges in Pittsburgh? If you have been to Pittsburgh, surely you have recognized the city has quite a few bridges. A good number of Pittsburgh’s bridges are yellow, fitting the color scheme of black and gold. But how many bridges are in the City of Pittsburgh? 15? 30? 50? 100? 200? 300?
Try 446. Pittsburgh is the home to 446 bridges, which is remarkable. The vast number of bridges makes sense when you think about the landscape of Pittsburgh though. The three rivers -- the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio -- provide natural separations in the city. Obviously, there had to be a way to cross over the rivers in order to navigate from one part of the city to the next.
This may prompt the question in your mind of “What was the first river-crossing bridge in Pittsburgh?” The first river-crossing bridge in Pittsburgh was the Monongahela Bridge. Naturally, the Monongahela Bridge crossed the Monongahela River. Now standing in its place is the beautiful Smithfield Street Bridge. To add to the historical nature of the Smithfield Street Bridge is the fact that it is the oldest steel bridge in all of the United States of America.
Another bridge to take note of is the Fort Pitt Bridge. If you have ever driven into the City of Pittsburgh through the Fort Pitt Tunnel you know exactly why this bridge is important to Pittsburgh. As you come through the tunnel, the City of Pittsburgh is right there as you exit. Whether you are entering the city at night or during the day, you cannot beat the spectacular view of Pittsburgh as you exit the Fort Pitt Tunnel. You see the tremendous landscape of the city, Heinz Field, PNC Park, the Science Center and much more. Entering Pittsburgh through the Fort Pitt Tunnel is a must-see view.
Pittsburgh is a great city and has a lot to offer all. With its historical landmarks and rich history, it is no wonder Pittsburgh is such a great place to live or visit. So, to answer the question, is Pittsburgh the City of Bridges? Yes. Yes it is.
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