Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge

The Carrie Furnace Hot Metal Bridge is a steel railroad truss bridge that crosses the Monongahela River between two municipalities using Pennsylvania through truss construction. The structure displays the engineering approach typical of industrial transport infrastructure from that era.

The bridge was built around 1900 to transport molten iron from the Carrie blast furnaces to steel mills downstream. It played a key role in Pittsburgh's industrial development through the 20th century.

The bridge tells the story of an era when steel and manufacturing defined the character of this region. Visitors can still see how closely production was tied to the river and the communities on either side.

Access to the bridge is currently limited as restoration plans for pedestrians and cyclists are underway. Visitors should check ahead about which sections are open and what areas of the site are available to explore.

The bridge was specially designed to carry torpedo cars, which transported molten iron in heavily insulated containers at extreme temperatures. This specialized system was a distinctive feature of Pittsburgh's steel production network.