For the second time in seven months, an inspection of a Pittsburgh bridge discovered structural problems serious enough to declare an emergency closure.
This time, the city closed the Herron Avenue Bridge between Lawrenceville and Polish Hill on Wednesday morning after inspectors found problems with the condition of support columns. The city said it doesn’t know how long emergency repairs will take, but it expects the bridge to reopen before a full rehabilitation that is set to begin in 2028.
“Following emergent findings from the city’s bridge inspection consultant and [the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation], we are moving quickly to close the Herron Avenue Bridge in the interest of public safety,” Zack Workman, the city’s acting chief engineer, said in a news release.
“Barricades and ‘Bridge Closed’ signage will be in place starting Wednesday. A designated detour route will guide motorists via the Bloomfield Bridge.”
The bridge has been listed in poor condition for more than five years.
Wednesday’s closure follows the city’s decision in October to close the Panther Hollow Bridge in Schenley Park after an inspection found problems with the steel truss supports. Last month, officials said a detailed review of that bridge found “critical” problems with the condition of gusset plates that piece together, and the city is designing repairs that should go out for bids next month and be completed in “less than a year.”
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, who was in office only a few weeks when the Fern Hollow Bridge above Frick Park collapsed in January 2022, said in a news release that he didn’t hesitate to close Herron Avenue.
“Since the start of my administration, I’ve had to make the tough call to close bridges more than once — but I’ve never regretted putting public safety first,” Gainey said. “Proactive steps like this are how we ensure our infrastructure remains safe for every Pittsburgher.”
When the Charles Anderson Bridge was closed under similar circumstances in February 2023, Gainey worked with the state Department of Transportation and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission to fast-track scheduled improvements rather than have the bridge closed twice, once for four months of repairs and a second time within two years for the bigger project. That bridge is under construction now.
That isn’t likely this time, Williams said.
“While we still are deciding what the route to reopening will look like, I believe that we will not be fast tracking it to rehabilitation,” he said. “I believe that we will be working to resolve the immediate concerns which led to the closure of the bridge, many of which were intended to be components of the rehabilitation.”
In May 2023, Pittsburgh City Council approved an $878,570 contract with Pittsburgh firm H.W. Lochner Inc. to design improvements for Herron Avenue and the Elizabeth Street Bridge in Hazelwood. Jacob Williams, spokesman for the city’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, said three years of preliminary engineering work began late last year and construction isn’t expected until 2028.
When the design contract was approved, DOMI said a $3.5 million preservation project on the 754-foot bridge would involve replacing expansion joints and bearings, repairing a concrete barrier, improving the steel superstructure and concrete piers and substructure, new lighting and replacing a retaining wall. Now, engineers will conduct a full structural review of the bridge to determine what emergency work is needed and whether any additional work should be added to the long-range project.
The bridge carries about 4,500 cars daily.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.