Connellsville Memorial Bridge Sidewalk View

Experience

Ease

10 Min

Visit

5 Min

Walk

Few towns are as blessed with as good a vantage point of their downtown as the city of Connellsville. The entire city was built on a slope leading down to the river making nearly every building peak out lower than the one behind it. Even if you took the downtown away and reverted it back to nature the scene available from the Memorial Bridge's sidewalk would still make the busy traffic rumbling behind you worth checking out. The Youghiogheny River takes center stage below and before you as it continues its journey from the Laurel Highlands, and dominating the background are the imposing high elevations of Chestnut Ridge that practically form a wall on the horizon. The CSX railroad tracks leading to the train station lines the river's northeastern shore with occasional train traffic passing by. On the opposite shore are gigantic Sycamore Trees lining the river and obscuring much of the view of the flatter "West End" of Connellsville.

The character of this scene has been evolving as the city of Connellsville's downtown has shed some its 1900 era brick "skyscrapers" and replaced them with smaller more modern buildings. A senior living facility now marks the most dominate building in the city or at least as viewed from this bridge.

The best time to suffer the traffic congestion behind you is late afternoon or evening when the sun is at your back and lights up the city dramatically preceding sunset. It'll make the walk on the bridge worth it.

Caution

Traffic exits off of Route 119 onto W Fayette Street quickly so try to cross the road away from Route 119.

How to Access

Park at the shopping center along Route 119 and W Fayette Street and carefully cross W Fayette Street, then follow it until the sidewalk for the bridge begins. Continue to walk across the Memorial Boulevard Bridge until the view of the city appears, roughly a fourth of the way.

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