Crossing The Allegheny River

Crossing The Allegheny River. . , Prior to 1915, the only way to cross the Allegheny River from North Buffalo Township was to ride the ferry boat owned and operated by J.A. Green. That changed on April 3, 1915, with the erection of the Ford City Bridge. This bridge, which was 993 feet long and 19 feet wide, was somewhat of a gateway to Ford City and served its purpose until it became inadequate for modern day vehicle traffic. The new "Ford City Veterans Bridge", which is 1060 feet long and 40 feet wide, was completed in October of 1999, then dedicated and opened to traffic on July 28, 2000. The much larger Veterans Bridge was the first use of high performance steel on a Pennsylvania bridge and the largest application of such steel on a curved bridge in the United States., (Photo Captions):, The Ford City Bridge under construction, Bridge Maker's Plaque from the original bridge, Souvenir Pin April 3, 1915, The J.A. Green Ferry before and during use of the Ford City Bridge, The celebration of the Opening of the Ford City Bridge, Ford City Bridge Opening Celebration Parade, It is interesting to note that both bridge openings were celebrated with festivities and parades, showing the importance of these structures to the citizens of Ford City., Veterans Bridge Dedication Commerative Coin, Photos are courtesy of Bill Oleksak and Larry Vorpe