Boulevard of the Allies
Running up and down the southern side of the of the city of Pittsburgh, the Boulevard of the Allies is a remarkable four-lane road that extends from Commonwealth Place, situated near Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh, to the lush greenery of Schenley Park. This notable route escorts commuters past the iconic One PPG Place, along the picturesque cliffs of the scenic Bluff, and through the heart of the bustling southern Oakland neighborhood. Originally christened Monongahela Boulevard, it was renamed in 1921 to commemorate the Allies of the First World War.
A Historical Perspective
The inception of Monongahela Boulevard traces back to 1913 in response to the growing popularity of Grant Boulevard, now referred to as Bigelow Boulevard. The latter sparked rapid development in the Schenley Farms area, leading to the proposal of Monongahela Boulevard as a solution to the increasing traffic flow from downtown towards the burgeoning eastern neighborhoods of the city.
Constructing the Most Expensive Roadway
The construction of the Boulevard of the Allies was an enormous undertaking. The road was built in a series of construction phases over a span of twenty years, commencing in 1920.
The first phase involved the widening of Second Avenue from Liberty Avenue, near the Point, to Ross Street. The road was augmented to a width of seventy feet, and one of the earliest interconnected traffic signal systems was installed shortly after in November 1921. This initial roadwork culminated in August 1921, after which the next phase commenced, extending the road from Ross Street, along the Monongahela River, to Forbes Avenue in southern Oakland.
Evaluating the Proposed Routes
Two plans were presented for this segment of the road. The first entailed a low-level route parallel to Second Avenue that gradually ascended along Boyd’s Hill towards southern Oakland. The second proposal, the high-level route, was eventually accepted. This design featured a more precipitous rise to the Bluff near Duquesne University and incorporated part of Bluff Street. This high-level route required extensive excavation, the construction of large retaining walls, and the erection of two lengthy steel and concrete viaducts.
Excavation and fortification of the cliffside along the Bluff commenced in August 1921. Several retaining walls were constructed, and a path was carved from Magee Street downward along the cliff to a point where the roadway would meet Viaduct #1, rising in the opposite direction from Grant Street.
A Milestone in Pittsburgh’s History
Following a series of construction phases, the second phase was completed in just over a year. On October 2, 1922, Monongahela Boulevard, now recognized as the Boulevard of the Allies, opened to vehicular traffic. The road was officially dedicated on November 11, 1922. At a staggering cost of $1.6 million per mile, it was the most expensive road in the world at the time.
The Extension of the Boulevard
Planning for the extension of the Boulevard towards the east began immediately after its opening. Traffic congestion at the bustling Forbes Avenue junction became a growing challenge.
A bond issue in 1926 secured the financing to proceed with the third phase of construction. A third viaduct was built over a realigned Forbes Avenue, facilitating free traffic flow past that junction and on to the intersection of Craft and Emily streets. This completed section of the Boulevard of the Allies was dedicated on November 1, 1928. It was proudly announced by city officials that “motorists can now make the entire trip from downtown to Schenley Park without traveling over any streets that include trolley tracks.”
Bridging the Gap
The Wilmot Street Bridge, built in 1907, was a two-lane span and became an instant traffic bottleneck. In 1939, the bridge was demolished and replaced by the four-lane Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge, dedicated on June 22, 1940. This could be considered the final act in the construction of the Boulevard of the Allies. Interestingly, the roadway honoring the Allied effort in World War I was completed at a time when the Allies were once again united to battle the forces of Germany in World War II.
The Penn-Lincoln Parkway
In 1954, work began on the connecting ramps from the Boulevard of the Allies to the new Penn-Lincoln Parkway. These ramps were located at the Brady Street Bridge (now the Birmingham Bridge). The interchange was completed and open to traffic in September 1956.
Recent Enhancements
Many improvements to the Boulevard have occurred over the years. In 1928, the connection ramps to the Liberty Bridge were built. In the 1930s, crash-proof rails were installed along the Bluff and viaducts to prevent the growing number of accidents involving vehicles tumbling over the hillside. In 1987, the Anderson Bridge underwent extensive renovations and, on the opposite end of the Boulevard, connections to the I-579 Crosstown Expressway were added.
In 2007, work began on a new interchange at Forbes Avenue. Viaduct #3 was replaced and an updated ramp design facilitated traffic flow between the Boulevard, Forbes, and Fifth Avenue. This final enhancement to Pittsburgh’s Grand Memorial Way was completed in May 2009.
A Celebratory Rededication
The Boulevard of the Allies was rededicated on June 29, 2008, as part of the celebration of Pittsburgh’s 250th anniversary. In a grand ceremony attended by ambassadors and other dignitaries from eleven of the thirty Allied nations from World War I, over 1,500 people gathered along the Boulevard to honor freedom, celebrate the ideals of peace, and remember the people who helped end the Great War of 1914-1918.
Today, the Boulevard of the Allies remains one of the most heavily traveled and scenic roadways in the city of Pittsburgh. From 1926 until the completion of the Penn-Lincoln Parkway in the late 1950s, the Boulevard of the Allies was incorporated into US Route 22/US Route 30, and part of the national Lincoln Highway.
From its picturesque views to its historical significance, the Boulevard of the Allies continues to serve as a testament to Pittsburgh’s enduring spirit and its tribute to the heroes of the Great War.
