Engineering Pittsburgh: A History of Roads, Rails, Canals, Bridges and More

by ASCE Pittsburgh Section 100th Anniversary Publication Committee

Western Pennsylvania's infrastructure is renowned for traversing valleys, mountains, rivers and everything in between. Early surveying in the region delineated state and local boundaries that allowed for the mapping of canals, railroads and roadways. Engineers developed bridges, ground transportation systems and airports that linked Pittsburgh to the world. Frequently overflowing rivers transformed into reliable navigation passageways. Drinking water and wastewater treatment systems allowed development and population to flourish, leading to investments in iconic buildings. Join expert civil engineers and professionals as they narrate the story of Pittsburgh and the surrounding region's engineering triumphs.

224 pages, Paperback

Published September 10, 2018

Reviews

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot of interesting history here, sometimes buried in a few too many lists of names and dates or construction methods to make for compelling reading. You can definitely tell this was written by engineers, which, speaking as an engineer myself, wasn't always a bad thing. I certainly came away from this book with a deeper appreciation for the bridges and roads and buildings and other structures I had previously taken for granted, and there were a good number of entertaining facts related. The writing was just a little dry or overly technical at times, even for a history book. 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded down for occasionally losing the big picture in the technical details.