Fern Hollow Bridge Project

In January 2022, the Fern Hollow bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, collapsed coinciding with President Joe Biden’s visit to the city to discuss his infrastructure bill. In response, the city declared an emergency to expedite the bridge’s reconstruction. To ensure long-lasting durability and prevent future failures, they decided to use hot-dip galvanized (HDG) components for the new bridge.

On January 28, 2022, the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, experienced a catastrophic collapse. This tragedy left motorists trapped on and beneath the 447-foot structure, which had been built in 1970. At the time of the collapse, four cars and a bus were on the bridge. In response, the city of Pittsburgh declared an emergency to expedite the bridge’s reconstruction. Ironically, President Joe Biden arrived in Pittsburgh that morning to discuss the infrastructure spending bill and visited the site just hours after the collapse while vehicles were still being hoisted from the rubble. Following the collapse, $25.3 million in federal funding was allocated for the repair project, with completion targeted before Christmas 2022.

This catastrophe highlights several key points. First, infrastructure spending needs to be accelerated in emergency situations, as demonstrated by the rapid response to this incident. Second, bridges in poor condition pose serious risks to human life and safety, with preventable issues leading to injuries and fatalities. Third, bridge failures negatively impact the economy, as the 14,000 vehicles that crossed the bridge daily had to be redirected, causing traffic delays and increased fuel costs. Additionally, protecting utilities under bridges is crucial, as a fractured natural gas line during the collapse exposed people to hazardous conditions.

To prevent a similar tragedy, the decision was made to use hot-dip galvanized (HDG) steel in the new bridge construction. The guardrail on the barriers is one of the components that were galvanized and then coated with a duplex system for maximum protection against the elements. The bridge spans a deep ravine, making maintenance and inspection challenging. Pittsburgh, home to more bridges than any other city in the world, faces extreme weather conditions and the corrosive effects of road salt and brine. Thus, choosing a duplex system was a clear necessity. This project serves as a reminder that cutting corners in infrastructure maintenance is unacceptable and that HDG can provide the durability needed to safeguard our nation’s bridges.