Andy Warhol Bridge to mark 100 years with public celebration

Allegheny County officials announced plans to celebrate the 100th birthday of Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol Bridge, the oldest of the city’s three iconic Sister Bridges, as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

The county will host a free public celebration on June 27 on the bridge, which will be closed to vehicle traffic for the event. Activities will include community art projects, music, games, contests and food.

The event will feature programming led by the Andy Warhol Museum and the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. City Cast Pittsburgh will emcee games and contests, while local company Strawberry Luna, a design and printmaking studio, is creating a commemorative poster for the milestone.

County Executive Sara Innamorato said the bridge represents Allegheny County’s history.

“Allegheny County’s history is filled with innovation and creativity, beautiful architecture, and talented homegrown artists, and the Andy Warhol Bridge encapsulates all of that in one iconic structure,” Innamorato said in a release.

The bridge originally opened as the Seventh Street Bridge on June 17, 1926, following construction by the American Bridge Company. It was renamed the Andy Warhol Bridge in 2005 in honor of Pittsburgh-born artist Andy Warhol and the 10th anniversary of the Andy Warhol Museum.

In 1925, Allegheny County awarded a contract to the American Bridge Company to build the only three identically designed self-anchored suspension bridges in the world.

The Andy Warhol Bridge, previously known as the Seventh Street Bridge, opened June 17, 1926, with a parade and dedication ceremony. The bridge cost $1.4 million to build and, at 1,061 feet, is the longest of the three Sister Bridges.

“As our nation commemorates the U.S. Semiquincentennial, it is fitting that we recognize the oldest of the three Sister Bridges, which represent Pittsburgh’s tradition of innovation, ingenuity, and ‘we can do it’ spirit,” Andy Masich, president and CEO of the Senator John Heinz History Center, said in a news release.

The Ninth Street Bridge, now known as the Rachel Carson Bridge, opened in November 1926.

Construction on the Sixth Street Bridge, now known as the Roberto Clemente Bridge, began in 1927 and was completed in 1928.

“These iconic bridges, painted in ‘Aztec Gold’ as an homage to the city’s official colors, are symbols of Pittsburgh’s vibrancy, culture, and most importantly, its people,” Masich said.