Technically, it's known as Shade 2695. A paint catalog calls it "tint of lilac." But almost everybody in this Pittsburgh suburb says their 82-year-old bridge is just plain purple.
Rich Miller, a state bridge design supervisor, decided lilac was perfect for the Hulton Bridge but didn't say a word to the construction crew."If they knew it was going to be tint of lilac, they would have punched me," he said. "Now I keep telling the macho guys in the field that we're going to use pink next."
Miller said he would like to see the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation paint other bridges in pastel colors because lighter shades enable bridge engineers to detect structural cracks and flaws with ease.