Crews make quick work of installing new pedestrian bridge to Marshall Island in North Park

It took decades for the wooden bridge leading to Marshall Island in North Park to become so creaky that it was shut down to the public.

On Friday, crews from Pugliano Construction and Alvarez steel fabricating took just a few hours to put up a new one.

Using a 166-foot tall crane, prefabricated sections of bridge deck were hoisted into the air and gently lowered close enough to the existing piers for the crew to bolt them into place.

“If the weather was warmer, we could have assembled the sections on site,” said Angelo C. Pugliano, whose company won the bid for the $240,450 project. “But the goal was to have this project completed by the spring, so given the time constraints, using the modular option seemed like the best solution.”

Access to the island — one of two in Marshall Lake — has been cut off for several years after Allegheny County officials determined that the old span was unsafe and had it demolished, said Kevin Evanto, a spokesman for the county, which owns the park.

The beams closest to Pearce Mill Road were badly corroded from decades of stormwater runoff and road salt, he said.

“We decided to pursue a design (for the bridge) that complements the historic character of North Park,” he said.

The new structure was constructed with steel beams that are topped with decking made from black locust boards, which resists rotting and does not require chemical treatment to make it last.

The old chain-link fence that surrounds the fishing piers along Pearce Mill Road will be replaced with a split-rail fence made from the same variety of timber.

Improvements also are being made to prevent damage to the new bridge from stormwater runoff, he said.

The new bridge also will create access to the island easier for people with physical challenges and is wide enough for small vehicles to get on the island for maintenance work.

Steve Johnstonbaugh, who is a member of the Community of Friends North Park said the bridge is an important part of the park’s offerings.

“This is a very exciting day,” he said. “It’s wonderful that people will once again be able to get to the island, which is a prime fishing location and a great source of recreation.”

The new bridge is expected to be open to the public in early April.