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Here is one more print from the series I shot on the Cheat Lake Bridge. Perhaps these cables were cut long ago after being rerouted across the lake, though I am not certain as to why they would be hanging down in such a fashion and not removed. They work here to break up the straight lines. This is one of those images that might be better printed as a square, with a portion of the right cropped off, making it a little more abstract. I allowed the post on the left to remain slightly tilted to give the image a bit of tension, as it is ready to undergo a large amount of work.
It amazes me that maintenance of the roads and bridges that have been handed to us is even a point of discussion. We have crumbling infrastructure that is essential to the country, and we have a large number of people without jobs who are willing to work, so why is this even a question?
Fortunately, one of the bridges that is being worked on at this moment is the Cheat Lake Bridge. I have traveled over this bridge for the past twenty years and have always had concerns as to how long it would last. When Route 68 was established, a new bridge was built over Cheat Lake, and it was my understanding that the old Cheat Lake Bridge would eventually be taken down. Fortunately, it appears that the bridge will be repaired, so it is currently shot down.
Several months ago I was able to get to the bridge to take some pictures. It was closed to traffic, but pedestrians were still able to cross it. Under a number of watchful eyes I carried my large format camera onto the bridge and shot a series of images.
Braddock has numerous buildings that are scheduled for demolition, and of course no longer has numerous buildings that have been taken down. In this particular instance it appears that all has been removed around this building. Despite the look, I believe that this building is currently being used.
When I came upon this scene in Braddock I immediately thought of Magritte’s painting La trahison des images (The Treachery of Images), where he drew a picture of a pipe and included the text “Ceci n’est pas une pipe” (“This is not a pipe”). Of course, what one sees is not a pipe, it is a painting of a pipe. Looking at this I do not see a building, I see the absence of a building. The shadows appear to me to be hands, one grabbing one end of a hammer and the other reaching for the other end, ready to fell more buildings slated for demolition.
Two blast furnaces are in operation at Edgar Thomson Plant, part of Mon Valley Works. Employing around 900 workers, it has an annual raw steel production capability of 2.9 million net tons. During its heyday it fueled the city with jobs, but the collapse of the steel industry changed that.
There are not many places to purchase food in Braddock. One of two I came across was the Fourth Street Market, where I stopped in to purchase a bottle of water (very hot and humid day).
I spoke with the owner and was told that business was good to the extent that he was able to make ends meet. This was encouraging in that at least some businesses are able to survive, but the bars on the window and door told me that difficult times still existed.
One of the many things that happens when people go away is that the jobs held by those remaining also go away. With very few businesses open there are few places for people to work, and when jobs do come available it is important that the skills to fill those jobs are at hand.
The Braddock Employment Training Center offers GED classes, computer training, life skills, and career services.
