PYMATUNING SPILLWAY TRAIL/MESSERALL TRUSS RELOCATION AND REHABILITATION
CRAWFORD COUNTY, PA
This project consisted of the design of the Pymatuning Spillway Trail Extension from Fries Road to South Chestnut Street outside Linesville Borough, Crawford County, PA, and the adaptive reuse (relocation and rehabilitation) of the historic Messerall Road bowstring arch truss bridge. The truss was relocated from an abandoned county alignment over Pine Creek outside of Titusville, PA to provide a safe and reliable crossing for the new portion of the trail over Linesville Creek near the Pymatuning Reservoir in Pymatuning State Park. The trail extension increased the length of the trail from just over one mile to more than three miles.
THE CHALLENGE
The most significant challenge with this project was the Messerall Road Truss Bridge rehabilitation. Originally constructed in 1876 by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company of Canton, OH, the Messerall Road Truss Bridge is a 99-foot span, wrought-iron bowstring tied arch. The bridge is a rare and remarkably complete example of the Wrought Iron Bridge Company’s “column, plate, and channel” design and one of the earliest examples of wrought iron construction within the state of Pennsylvania. The bridge was closed to traffic in 1987 as the road it carried was realigned to avoid the adjacent timber processing plant. The timber deck and stringers were removed at that time and the truss remained abandoned from that time until its relocation. It is one of only two bowstring trusses remaining in Pennsylvania, adding to the significance of saving and repurposing this structure.
HOW WE HELPED
McCormick Taylor’s team was selected to provide all services necessary to design the proposed trail extension and to relocate and rehabilitate the historic truss from its abandoned site to the proposed trail crossing. Services included: environmental clearance and permitting; hands-on structural inspection; preliminary and final design of both the trail extension and truss rehabilitation (including new pedestrian railing, decking system and abutments); and development of conceptual truss removal and erection plans, construction plans, specifications, and final estimate. Construction consultation services included shop drawing and RFI reviews, coordination and review of unforeseen truss repairs, and inspection of the disassembled truss.
Unique truss repairs included the use of nearly 3,000 hot driven rivets, low chord splice plate replacements, top chord plating repairs, and floorbeam hanger replacements. Significant attention to detail during design and rehabilitation ensured that all selected repairs were within the Secretary of the Interior's Standards ("no adverse effect" finding was received), which allowed the bridge to remain eligible for the historic registry while providing a safe and reliable pedestrian crossing for the trail.
RESULTS
Construction of the trail extension and relocation/reassembly of the Messerall Truss Bridge over Linesville Creek in Pymatuning State Park was completed in Fall 2022. The project was a culmination of 35 years of effort to find a new home for this bridge. PennDOT partnered with both Crawford County and PA DCNR to transfer ownership, rehabilitate, and relocate the truss to Pymatuning State Park. The relocation enhanced a previously planned and anxiously awaited trail extension for DCNR; Crawford County removed a closed bridge from its inventory; and PennDOT facilitated the sometimes-complicated construction process for the benefit of the community, as well as thousands of park visitors every year.
AWARDS
2024 Diamond Award, ACEC/PA
2023 Oil Region Historic Preservation Award
2022 Outstanding New-Special Purpose Structure, ABCD - Pittsburgh Chapter
2022 Project of the Year, <$3M Category, ASHE - Franklin Section
