Aging Pittsburgh Bridge Collapses in Early Morning while Cars Were Driving on It
By Sinéad Baker,Alexandra Ma, and Natalie Musumeci
An aging bridge in Pittsburgh that was listed as being in poor condition collapsed early Friday morning, public-safety officials said.
The bridge, located on Forbes Avenue, near Frick Park, came down around 6 am, the Associated Press reported.
Mayor Ed Gainey of Pittsburgh said there were ten minor injuries as a result of the collapse, including three people who were taken to the hospital, CNN reported.
"Right now we're still assessing the situation and getting information, but the good thing at this point is that there are no fatalities," Gainey said.
A photo published by KDKA showed at least six vehicles in the rubble of the bridge, at least one of which was partially overturned. It also showed snowy conditions in the city.
Other photos showed a commuter bus sitting on a section of the bridge after the collapse.
Pittsburgh Public Safety told people to avoid the area, warning of "a strong smell of natural gas in the area." The agency later said a gas line was cut.
Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman called the bridge collapse "surreal" during an interview with CNN.
"It's just surreal to see a bridge you've driven over countless times go down," said Fetterman, who called the bridge a "vital artery" in the city.
"Thankfully, schools were on a two-hour delay for weather, so the traffic was less than it would have been normally on a normal day, but it's surreal to see this bridge," Fetterman added.
The bridge on Forbes Avenue had been listed as being in "poor condition" by Pennsylvania's Department of Transportation. President Joe Biden's administration also warned earlier this month that 3,300 bridges in the state needed repair.
Biden was expected to visit Pittsburgh on Friday. Reports said he was expected to tout the infrastructure bill he passed into law last November, which included $1.6 billion from the federal government to improve Pennsylvania's bridges.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted on Friday that Biden's trip to the city would go ahead as planned.
"At the end of the day we could have had some serious injuries," Mayor Gainey said. "At the end of the day this is critical that we get this funding." - Insider
According to the Daily Beast, the 52-year-old, 447-foot steel bridge had poor deck and superstructure condition, with advanced deterioration of primary structural elements. It had satisfactory substructure condition, with some minor deterioration. It was weight restricted with a 26-ton limit.
The National Bridge Inventory says that the bridge’s superstructure (i.e. everything that support the roadway and connects the main elements of the bridge) has been in “poor” condition since 2011. A 2017 inspection, the last available, recommended $1.5 million in repairs due to “general structure deterioration or inadequate strength.”
Then in 2018, a passer-by posted a photo to Twitter showing an “X” beam entirely rusted and detached.
The bridge’s condition isn’t unusual for Pennsylvania, which ranks second only to Iowa for the most “structurally deficient” bridges in the nation, according to a 2019 assessment.
PennDOT’s database shows that almost 100 local- and state-owned bridges in Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh and surrounding areas, are in poor condition, however that can range from serious structural deficiency to potholes, officials previously said.
Upkeep is a constant struggle in Pittsburgh, the so-called City of Bridges, due in part to the vast number of bridges over its three intersecting rivers. Road salt and severe weather also speed up corrosion on bridges.
Pittsburgh Public Safety said Friday morning that a gas line was cut during the collapse and there was a strong smell of natural gas in the area, prompting surrounding homes to be evacuated. The Red Cross has been contacted for victim assistance. Read more at The Daily Beast.
