West End Pedestrian Bridge

“The Big Game!”

We are in Pittsburgh, a couple years from now. It is a fine mid-October day. Once again, the Steelers are in the hunt for the playoffs, and the construction of the West End Bridge’s new pedestrian arch is finally complete. From the Point, one can see football fans streaming to Heinz Field for the game across the “Pittsburgh Bridge”, as people call it. Above the multitude, the “Pittsburgh” sign shimmers gaily in the early afternoon sun.

From the bridge, pedestrians stop to admire the view of their city and lean against the mums filled planters. Vendors are selling pierogies and hotdogs from the cantilevered alcoves that extend over the Ohio River below the huge letters.

Moreover, Joggers and bicyclers crossing the river from the tree-lined North and South Side river trails only add to the festive spirit. As a result, the pedestrian bridge has already become an icon of the city of Pittsburgh, joining the incline, the stadiums, the hills, and the rivers.

The City’s Markers

Pittsburghers love their city, and they have great fondness for the city’s markers. What people have remarked upon is how the sign can look so different depending on the weather or time of day. Much of the time, the metal screen is barely visible against the gray Pittsburgh skies, which is as it should be. The effect is subtle. Other times, especially in the sun with blue sky beyond, the screen becomes highly visible, throwing the letters into stark relief. At night, the screen colors are as varied as a rainbow, depending on the light that falls upon it.

The Character of our City

Some loyal Pittsburghers have remarked upon the fact that the cutout letters are formed from space rather than from material. These people have interpreted this to indicate that we should not define the meaning of our city from its form but rather from what remains when the form has gone away, namely our people and their character.