As far back as 2014, the state of Pennsylvania found enough problems with the Fern Hollow Bridge over Frick Park that it said inspections should be launched every year instead of every 24 months.
By Joel Jacobs, Ed Blazina, Ashley Murray and Sean D. Hamill, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
So far, neither the state nor the city will release details of past inspections to provide a fuller history of the bridge and potentially what went wrong in the morning hours last week. “We are grateful there were no serious injuries and commend the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety and all first responders who assisted with the evacuations. While it is too early to know the cause of the collapse, we have committed to make all personnel and information available to the appropriate agencies to assist in a thorough investigation.”
In 1999, an inspection found that all three elements of the bridge were found to be in “fair” condition or better. The city had conducted a “stability” analysis and found that the original cross-bracing steel supports were “non-functional” and it was relying on the wire cables to be “tight and fully engaged.”
Facchiano also removed the steel beam for $43,794.66 in early 2019, leaving the wire cable system as the replacement support.Hota GangaRao, an engineering professor and director of the Constructed Facilities Center at West Virginia University, said that in general, bracing is a critical element for a bridge’s superstructure.
That coincided with the weight limit on the bridge being reduced from 36 tons to 26 tons, said PennDOT spokeswoman Alexis Campbell — a cap that’s typically imposed when concerns are raised about a deteriorating structure. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said the day of the collapse that he hoped a review would take place on how bridges are assessed.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Will state-by-state regulation of self-driving vehicles work -- and keep people safe?A future where motorists share streets and highways with driverless cars may still be years away, but transportation experts are saying now's the time for elected leaders to plan for that scenario.
Read more »
State reopens online portal to order at-home COVID-19 testsThe DOH anticipates that an additional 120,000 households will now be able to order tests. Tests are expected to arrive within a few days of the order being placed.
Read more »
Reacting to State of the Noonion 2022: It's Time For HackerNoon 3.0 | HackerNoon'Reacting to State of the Noonion 2022: It's Time For HackerNoon 3.0' hackernoon publication
Read more »
Penn State player accuses James Franklin, coaching staff of ignoring mental health concernsThe redshirt sophomore defensive end took to Twitter to discuss team-requested weight gain that led to an eating disorder and other mental health diagnoses.
Read more »
Ohio State Cornerback Sevyn Banks “Moving On” From Ohio State, Will Not Return For Buckeyes in 2022Sevyn Banks has played his final game with the Buckeyes as the senior cornerback plans to move on from Ohio State.
Read more »
Jackson State faculty denounce CRT legislationJackson State University’s Faculty Senate passed a resolution Friday opposing legislation that seeks to ban the teaching of critical race theory in Mississippi.
Read more »