original early 1880's massive ornamental cast iron smithfield bridge portal rosette removed in 1915 when the opposed cast iron bridge portals were replaced shortly after the bridge was widened. the single-sided cast iron rosette contains a nicely worn and weathered enameled finish untouched since the rosette was removed in 1915. the fabricator or foundry of the bridge ornament is not known. the smithfield street bridge is a lenticular type truss bridge (i.e., the top and bottom chords are curved) crossing the monongahela river in pittsburgh, pennsylvania, usa. the historically important bridge was designed by gustav lindenthal, a building engineer who later designed the hell gate bridge in new york city in 1912. Construction of the smithfield street bridge began in 1881 and was completed two years later when it opened for traffic beginning in march of 1883. The bridge was later widened in 1889 and again in 1911. the existing bridge is the third bridge at the site and is considered the second oldest steel bridge in the united states (the east bridge, located in st. Louis, opened in 1874). The first bridge built at the location was a wooden bridge, completed in 1818 by louis wernwag at a cost of $102,000. the bridge was destroyed in pittsburgh's great fire of 1845. the second bridge on the site was a wire rope suspension bridge built by john a. roebling. bridge traffic and river traffic eventually made the lightly built bridge containing eight short spans inadequate. The extant Lindenthal’s bridge was built in its place, using stone masonry piers from roebling’s bridge. the smithfield street bridge is the penultimate of the many bridges which span the monongahela before the river joins with the allegheny river to form the ohio river at downtown pittsburgh. the bridge also served the pittsburgh railways streetcar system with lines coming from the mt. washington transit tunnel and from carson street crossing the bridge and continuing into downtown along grant street and smithfield street, returning to the bridge via wood street or grant street. the streetcar line was abandoned in july 1985, when streetcars were diverted to the panhandle bridge. the last day of streetcar service on downtown pittsburgh streets (and over the smithfield street bridge) was july 6, 1985. The former streetcar right-of-way was converted into a paved roadway for northbound traffic. Between 1994–1995 the bridge was rehabilitated with a new deck, a colorful paint scheme, and updated architectural lighting. the abandoned rail lines were converted into an extra traffic lane. About 21-22" in diameter