The growth of Pittsburgh was strongly influenced by its numerous waterways, and the successful linking of the city with its neighboring communities by means of bridges was a significant factor in the development of its metropolitan identity.

Physical evidence for this assumption survived until the 1890s, when an observer reported that the skewbacks from the wooden arches remained visible in the north abutment.

Although the Roebling bridge, with its iron superstructure, was generally believed non-flammable, it fell victim to fire on June 19, 1881.

Beginning in the late 1890s, Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh undertook a systematic program of acquiring the privately owned bridges within their jurisdiction and eliminating their tolls.

The superstructure was erected by the Baird Brothers, John and William, who first advertised in the Pittsburgh and Allegheny City Directory in 1886 as contractors located at Home and Valley Streets.

This act empowered the Secretary of War to require the removal or alteration of any bridge which " ... is an unreasonable obstruction to the free navigation .

As part of the Three Sisters (Pittsburgh) project, the bridges at Sixth, Seventh, and Ninth Streets were to be demolished and replaced.

The Cooper spans remained in good shape, and concerns for economizing in public works projects led to recycling of the 1892 bridge.

Commissioner Armstrong took credit for proposing to reuse the Cooper bridge instead of building an entirely new structure in nearby Coraopolis, saving Allegheny County $350,000.

The Foundation Company bid on a contract to move the Sixth Street Bridge from its site in downtown Pittsburgh to Coraopolis, twelve miles away.

The company allowed pedestrians to cross the structure while roadway removal proceeded in the fall of 1926 in order to reduce the inconvenience for residents.

Workers took off half of the roadway at a time, leaving pedestrian areas accessible until final segments were taken away The bowstring trusses, in addition to weighing 1,600 tons each, presented the difficult problem of being slightly too tall to fit under two bridges along the journey.

Using pins to move the strap by hole sets, the company brought the spans downward 15 inches (38 cm) at a time with jacks.

After supporting the bridge under the floor beams, they disassembled the top chord and stabilized each panel point on the trusses.

Reversing the process and using the same jacks and steel frames to raise the structure 32 feet (9.8 m), the company erected the Cooper bridge 30 days after the project began.

By the 1980s, due to its deteriorated condition and inadequate load carrying capacity, the four span truss bridge did not meet the transportation needs of its location.

After nearly 50 years of additional service, which included weight restrictions and closings during cold weather (for a time it was restricted to carrying vehicles with a maximum weight of three tons, and it was only open to vehicular traffic during periods when the temperature is above 30 degrees Fahrenheit), the old bridge was replaced by a deck girder bridge which was completed in 1995.