Fern Hollow Bridge Collapse in Pittsburgh (No Fatalities or Serious Injuries Reported)

[Spitfire6532]

https://www.wpxi.com/news/top-stori...ravine-pittsburgh/PMIN3FZOK5CCFGDMW6OENSVBYI/
A major thoroughfare collapsed in Pittsburgh this morning. Fortunately, the only injuries reported thus far are 10 minor injuries. Check out the state of one of the columns reported in 2018 to the city.

At this point in time, there isn't much info about what caused the collapse. In pictures, it also appears there is some kind of cable repair attempting to address the deficient columns. Obviously much more information is needed to know how this was addressed.

The situation does raise an interesting question, one particularly relevant in Pittsburgh. How do we deal with our aging infrastructure? Pittsburgh is riddled with bridges that were built over 100 years ago, and literally hundreds of bridges (that are still in use) are deemed 'structurally deficient'. Will this incident spark a change, or is the inconvenience and cost required simply insurmountable?

 

[steel]

I can't really answer any of your questions, but I will say it's crazy timing that Biden announced his visit here for today, and then this morning the bridge stole the spotlight.

 

[Spitfire6532]

I can't really answer any of your questions, but I will say it's crazy timing that Biden announced his visit here for today, and then this morning the bridge stole the spotlight.

Very true, the conspiracy theorists will be having their way with this sequence of events.

 

[steel]

Very true, the conspiracy theorists will be having their way with this sequence of events.

I wasn't thinking that, just that this supports Biden's infrastructure agenda, but you're definitely right. Gonna have conspiracy theoryies galore.

 

[Spitfire6532]

Very true, definitely gave him an obvious talking point.

I don't know how long you have been in Pittsburgh, but I hope you know the tale of the bridge under the Greenfield bridge. Constructed to prevent falling debris from the bridge from damaging cars on I-376 below. Luckily they shelled out the money and put a new bridge in. The Pittsburgh bridges are some true engineering marvels.

 

[steel]

Born and raised, minus my high school and college years. Too familiar with that one!

 

[jeb6294]

The gov't has been hemming and hawing about the Brent Spence bridge in Cincinnati for years now. Carries I-71/I-75, one of the busiest interstates in the country, over the Ohio River. Fern Hollow went into service in 1973, the Brent Spence in 1963 and the BS which was designed for 80K cars per day is actually carried double that and has been for a while.

 

[Platypus Engineer]

NTSB has released initial report. Said uncoated weathering steel with fracture critical sections.
My first thought was bus too heavy for bridge say weight limit 26 tons.

https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/HWY22MH003.aspx

 

[steel]

NTSB has released initial report. Said uncoated weathering steel with fracture critical sections.
My first thought was bus too heavy for bridge say weight limit 26 tons.

https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/HWY22MH003.aspx

"Although certain areas of the welded steel girders were identified as being fracture critical, no primary fractures were found in these areas."