Infrastructure: Weak
January 28, 2022 6:16 AM Subscribe
CNN: Snow-covered bridge in Pittsburgh collapses hours before scheduled Biden visit to talk infrastructure
More coverage:
Washington Post: Pittsburgh bridge collapse injures 10 on day Biden to visit city to talk infrastructure (archive link)
WTAE Pittsburgh (YouTube): Fern Hollow Bridge collapses near Frick Park in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Frick Park bridge collapses, natural gas smell in area
Biden's speech was originally going to focus on manufacturing and jobs, not roads and bridges, but one suspects there may be some changes to his prepared remarks in light of today's collapse.
Miraculously, there appear to be no life-threatening injuries, despite the fact that there were "three or four" vehicles on the frequently-crossed bridge at the time, including a Pittsburgh Port Authority bus.
More coverage:
Washington Post: Pittsburgh bridge collapse injures 10 on day Biden to visit city to talk infrastructure (archive link)
WTAE Pittsburgh (YouTube): Fern Hollow Bridge collapses near Frick Park in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Frick Park bridge collapses, natural gas smell in area
Biden's speech was originally going to focus on manufacturing and jobs, not roads and bridges, but one suspects there may be some changes to his prepared remarks in light of today's collapse.
Miraculously, there appear to be no life-threatening injuries, despite the fact that there were "three or four" vehicles on the frequently-crossed bridge at the time, including a Pittsburgh Port Authority bus.
Snow-covered bridge in Pittsburgh collapses hours before scheduled Biden visit to talk infrastructure
Well, this little coincidence should keep the conspiracy nuts busy this weekend.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:27 AM on January 28, 2022 [17 favorites]
Well, this little coincidence should keep the conspiracy nuts busy this weekend.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:27 AM on January 28, 2022 [17 favorites]
Have just texted my cousin; she lives in PIttsburgh with her family and her parents also live nearby.
And LITERALLY as I was typing that she texted me back to say that all was well with her family - there was a 2-hour school delay so the traffic was lighter than usual, and that may have saved people.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:38 AM on January 28, 2022 [5 favorites]
And LITERALLY as I was typing that she texted me back to say that all was well with her family - there was a 2-hour school delay so the traffic was lighter than usual, and that may have saved people.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:38 AM on January 28, 2022 [5 favorites]
Well, this little coincidence should keep the conspiracy nuts busy this weekend.
So far as I can tell, they remain busy no matter what. Who else has the courage to reveal how the UNESCO World Heritage Sites program is working with RCA Records to discontinue their preferred brand of microwave burrito from 7-11 stores statewide. This red yarn will not tack itself up.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 6:43 AM on January 28, 2022 [33 favorites]
So far as I can tell, they remain busy no matter what. Who else has the courage to reveal how the UNESCO World Heritage Sites program is working with RCA Records to discontinue their preferred brand of microwave burrito from 7-11 stores statewide. This red yarn will not tack itself up.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 6:43 AM on January 28, 2022 [33 favorites]
My cousin further reports that her daughters' schools have both cancelled school for the day; both schools are within walking distance of that bridge, and "hey let's go on a hike/look at the river" outings both go there. So they've closed school for the day and my cousin sounds a combination of relieved and slightly freaked out.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:46 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:46 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
I think surviving this would give me nightmares. I wonder how that bus driver is going to feel about getting back behind the wheel, whenever that happens. Yikes.
posted by Western Infidels at 7:11 AM on January 28, 2022
posted by Western Infidels at 7:11 AM on January 28, 2022
(Well done on the post title.)
posted by clawsoon at 7:14 AM on January 28, 2022 [27 favorites]
posted by clawsoon at 7:14 AM on January 28, 2022 [27 favorites]
>That this bridge collapsed is shocking.
I am not a structural engineer, but it seems like we had plenty of warning - it had been rated in poor condition since at least as far back as 2011.
The bridge — which has been estimated to carry about 14,500 vehicles a day — has been rated in poor condition in inspections dating back to 2011, according to the U.S. Transportation Department’s National Bridge Inventory. [from the wash post article]
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 7:19 AM on January 28, 2022 [4 favorites]
I am not a structural engineer, but it seems like we had plenty of warning - it had been rated in poor condition since at least as far back as 2011.
The bridge — which has been estimated to carry about 14,500 vehicles a day — has been rated in poor condition in inspections dating back to 2011, according to the U.S. Transportation Department’s National Bridge Inventory. [from the wash post article]
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 7:19 AM on January 28, 2022 [4 favorites]
I'm not a tin hat, but this raises my suspicion. Biden is old school and I could see him setting this up. If so? Good, I say.
Come on, he's not going to put people's lives at risk to score points about infrastructure funding. No, this was just a terrible accident.
posted by fortitude25 at 7:38 AM on January 28, 2022 [13 favorites]
Come on, he's not going to put people's lives at risk to score points about infrastructure funding. No, this was just a terrible accident.
posted by fortitude25 at 7:38 AM on January 28, 2022 [13 favorites]
I just looked up the bridge on google streetview, and it doesn't look too pretty.
I've been in the Pittsburgh area about 6 years now. Just a few months ago my wife and I were discussing how bad the many, many neighborhood stairs were. We think the city should hold a yearly Stair-a-thon to raise money to repair them.
I think I saw last week though that Pittsburgh had more bridges than most any city in the US. I really thought that a bridge in the expensive Frick Park neighborhood would be in better repair though.
posted by Catblack at 7:41 AM on January 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
I've been in the Pittsburgh area about 6 years now. Just a few months ago my wife and I were discussing how bad the many, many neighborhood stairs were. We think the city should hold a yearly Stair-a-thon to raise money to repair them.
I think I saw last week though that Pittsburgh had more bridges than most any city in the US. I really thought that a bridge in the expensive Frick Park neighborhood would be in better repair though.
posted by Catblack at 7:41 AM on January 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
A couple of eyebrow-raisers on local Twitter:
@gpk320 (tweeting to 311 FOUR YEARS AGO): I hope someone is keeping an eye on the underside of the Forbes Avenue bridge over Frick Park? One of the big "X" beams is rusted through entirely
@darwinleuba: Every bridge in poor condition in Allegheny County
...the latter with a screenshot from the PENNDOT statewide map of bridge conditions, which looks fucking dire.
posted by D.Billy at 7:45 AM on January 28, 2022 [8 favorites]
@gpk320 (tweeting to 311 FOUR YEARS AGO): I hope someone is keeping an eye on the underside of the Forbes Avenue bridge over Frick Park? One of the big "X" beams is rusted through entirely
@darwinleuba: Every bridge in poor condition in Allegheny County
...the latter with a screenshot from the PENNDOT statewide map of bridge conditions, which looks fucking dire.
posted by D.Billy at 7:45 AM on January 28, 2022 [8 favorites]
I hope the above comment is sarcasm because I don’t believe even the most evil politician would collapse the bridge for a photo op. That being said politicians generally would much rather have a photo op in front of something new and shiny which is part of the reason that infrastructure under a bridge might get ignored for many years.
posted by CostcoCultist at 7:46 AM on January 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by CostcoCultist at 7:46 AM on January 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
If vehicle weight ends up being a contributing factor, this Biden tweet will have aged very poorly in just four days:
When we move stuff faster through ports, when bridges don’t have weight restrictions, when there’s less traffic on our roads — that’s how we resolve supply chain problems and get goods to people quicker and cheaper.posted by Glegrinof the Pig-Man at 7:49 AM on January 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is helping make it happen.
Per the Infrastructure Report Card "46,154, or 7.5% of the nation’s bridges, are considered structurally deficient, meaning they are in “poor” condition."
I don't believe the engineers are actively leaving that many bridges in service that they think are ready to collapse. But, this sort of event shows the dangers of budget pressures. It will be interesting to see if the engineers wanted to shut it down and were pressured to find 'creative' solutions (The cables replacing an X brace image in that tweet, wow!) to keep a major artery open instead.
It's clear that this entire issue would have been prevented with basic maintenance. That level of rust is entirely down to not maintaining the painted coatings it would have had originally. The millions of dollars in savings from not painting it over fifty years will be dwarfed by the cost of dealing with this now.
posted by meinvt at 7:59 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
I don't believe the engineers are actively leaving that many bridges in service that they think are ready to collapse. But, this sort of event shows the dangers of budget pressures. It will be interesting to see if the engineers wanted to shut it down and were pressured to find 'creative' solutions (The cables replacing an X brace image in that tweet, wow!) to keep a major artery open instead.
It's clear that this entire issue would have been prevented with basic maintenance. That level of rust is entirely down to not maintaining the painted coatings it would have had originally. The millions of dollars in savings from not painting it over fifty years will be dwarfed by the cost of dealing with this now.
posted by meinvt at 7:59 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Wow, I know that bridge/overpass well from living in Squirrel Hill. Fern Hollow which goes under the bridge is a lovely urban trail that is typically busy when the weather is nice. This could have been a lot worse.
That tweet to Pgh311 is interesting but note Forbes Ave is owned by PennDot not by the city, much to the city's constant frustration.
posted by muddgirl at 8:02 AM on January 28, 2022 [5 favorites]
That tweet to Pgh311 is interesting but note Forbes Ave is owned by PennDot not by the city, much to the city's constant frustration.
posted by muddgirl at 8:02 AM on January 28, 2022 [5 favorites]
I couldn't get the PennDOT statewide map to show any dots, but it does say 80 local bridges in Allegheny county are in poor condition.
posted by Catblack at 8:14 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Catblack at 8:14 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
I cross(ed) that bridge daily, and walk the park trail under it regularly too. I smelled natural gas outside my house this morning, more than 2 miles away. I checked the weather, and yep — WNW winds. Amazing that there wasn’t a source of ignition.
posted by jon1270 at 8:25 AM on January 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by jon1270 at 8:25 AM on January 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
Here's the bridge on the National Bridge Inventory.
The 2020 Condition Rating and Evaluation:
The 2020 Condition Rating and Evaluation:
Bridge Railings (36A) - 0 - Does not meet currently acceptable standardsposted by zamboni at 9:07 AM on January 28, 2022 [1 favorite]
Transitions (36B) - 0 - Does not meet currently acceptable standards
Approach Guardrail (36C) - 0 - Does not meet currently acceptable standards
Bridge Guardrail Ends (36D) - 0 - Does not meet currently acceptable standards
Deck Condition Rating (58) -4 - Poor Condition
Superstructure Condition Rating (59)- 4 - Poor Condition
Substructure Condition Rating (60) - 6 - Satisfactory Condition
Channel and Channel Protection Condition Rating (61) - 9 - Channel protection in good condition
Culverts Condition Rating (62) - N - Not a culvert
Structural Evaluation Appraisal (67) - 4 - Minimum Tolerable
Deck Geometry Appraisal (68) - 3 - Intolerable; High Priority Corrective Action
Underclearance Appraisal Vertical and Horizontal (69) - N - N/A
Waterway Adequacy Appraisal (71) - 9 - Superior to Present Desirable Criteria
Approach Alignment Appraisal (72) - 7 - Better Than Present Minimum Criteria
Scour Critical Bridges Code (113) - 5 - Foundations Stable
Interesting that the substructure was rated higher than the superstructure. Superstructure is the surface (deck) and barriers, and the substructure is the steel or concrete that holds that up and connects to the foundations. A collapse is almost always a failure in the substructure.
So either this was a rapid deterioration or a botched inspection. The latter is more likely. See: the crack in the Mississippi River bridge in TN that had likely been there for decades and never noticed.
posted by hwyengr at 9:14 AM on January 28, 2022 [5 favorites]
So either this was a rapid deterioration or a botched inspection. The latter is more likely. See: the crack in the Mississippi River bridge in TN that had likely been there for decades and never noticed.
posted by hwyengr at 9:14 AM on January 28, 2022 [5 favorites]
Looking at street view, there are signs at either end of the bridge that says weight limit 26 tons. It looks like that was an articulated bus, which normally weight 24-28 tons. Of course there should be plenty of safety margin, but given the amount corrosion seem under that bridge any margin might have rust away
posted by CostcoCultist at 9:29 AM on January 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by CostcoCultist at 9:29 AM on January 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
My daughter's school is very close to this bridge and her school bus went over it every day. I'm very thankful that there were no serious injuries. I used to sit on that bridge in traffic and feel it shake while cars piled up waiting for the light to change at the intersection. It's so lucky that this did not happen with more traffic because it was not uncommon for the entire span to be covered by vehicles during morning and evening rush hours. It was definitely widely known to the locals to be in terrible shape - but we have a lot of terrible bridges and after a while you stop thinking about it because you will go crazy. So, it's a city full of people who are simultaneously surprised, but also not surprised.
The big question is how this will affect city and school bus routes during the likely year+ of cleanup and replacement. It's cut off a very important transportation.
And to the conspiracy theorists out there: no, this bridge was not blown up to make the president look better. This one had the grace to fall down on its own. If you were there for the demolition of the Greenfield bridge you know what the sound of an exploding bridge support is, even one that is barely hanging on.
posted by Alison at 9:30 AM on January 28, 2022 [17 favorites]
The big question is how this will affect city and school bus routes during the likely year+ of cleanup and replacement. It's cut off a very important transportation.
And to the conspiracy theorists out there: no, this bridge was not blown up to make the president look better. This one had the grace to fall down on its own. If you were there for the demolition of the Greenfield bridge you know what the sound of an exploding bridge support is, even one that is barely hanging on.
posted by Alison at 9:30 AM on January 28, 2022 [17 favorites]
Pat Toomey is currently getting ratioed to hell after voting against the infrastructure bill like every single republican.
posted by cmfletcher at 10:19 AM on January 28, 2022 [14 favorites]
posted by cmfletcher at 10:19 AM on January 28, 2022 [14 favorites]
one suspects there may be some changes to his prepared remarks in light of today's collapse.
Yeah, I thought, "well, that should put a different spin on infrastructure talk today..."
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:32 AM on January 28, 2022
Yeah, I thought, "well, that should put a different spin on infrastructure talk today..."
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:32 AM on January 28, 2022
Looking at street view, there are signs at either end of the bridge that says weight limit 26 tons. It looks like that was an articulated bus, which normally weight 24-28 tons. Of course there should be plenty of safety margin, but given the amount corrosion seem under that bridge any margin might have rust away
Per the NBI:
Design Load Descriptor (31) 5 - MS 18 / HS 20
Structure Operational Status Code (41) P - Posted for load
Operating Rating Method Code (63) 1 - Load Factor(LF)
Operating Rating, US tons (64) 33
Inventory Rating Method Code (65) 1 - Load Factor(LF)
Inventory Rating, US tons (66) 19
Bridge Posting Code (70) 3 - 10.0 - 19.9 percent below
TX DOT Bridge Inspection Manual: Load Ratings
posted by zamboni at 10:38 AM on January 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
Per the NBI:
Design Load Descriptor (31) 5 - MS 18 / HS 20
Structure Operational Status Code (41) P - Posted for load
Operating Rating Method Code (63) 1 - Load Factor(LF)
Operating Rating, US tons (64) 33
Inventory Rating Method Code (65) 1 - Load Factor(LF)
Inventory Rating, US tons (66) 19
Bridge Posting Code (70) 3 - 10.0 - 19.9 percent below
TX DOT Bridge Inspection Manual: Load Ratings
Inventory Rating, as defined by the current AASHTO Manual for Bridge Evaluation, is that load, including loads in multiple lanes that can safely utilize the bridge for an indefinite period of time.33*(1-0.199)=26.433.
Operating Rating, defined by the same manual, is the maximum permissible live load that can be placed on the bridge. This load rating also includes the same load in multiple lanes. Allowing unlimited usage at the Operating Rating level will reduce the life of the bridge.
posted by zamboni at 10:38 AM on January 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
Replying to Glegrinof the Pig-Man: 'when bridges don't have weight restrictions'
the tweet doesn't mean that the law is removing all limits; it is refering to the fact that some bridges may have restrict the traffic they were designed to carry as they are in poor condition; so idealy every bridge should be maintained so that it can always carry the full load it was built to carry.
posted by msiebler at 10:51 AM on January 28, 2022 [19 favorites]
the tweet doesn't mean that the law is removing all limits; it is refering to the fact that some bridges may have restrict the traffic they were designed to carry as they are in poor condition; so idealy every bridge should be maintained so that it can always carry the full load it was built to carry.
posted by msiebler at 10:51 AM on January 28, 2022 [19 favorites]
Lieutenant Governor Fetterman on scene in full regalia as the majesty of his office requires in the State of Pennsylvania.
posted by Alison at 11:03 AM on January 28, 2022 [28 favorites]
posted by Alison at 11:03 AM on January 28, 2022 [28 favorites]
^ha! omg I love Pgh.
posted by Don Pepino at 11:09 AM on January 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Don Pepino at 11:09 AM on January 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
He only breaks out the short sleeve Dickies shirts for the ceremonial stuff.
posted by cmfletcher at 11:24 AM on January 28, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by cmfletcher at 11:24 AM on January 28, 2022 [7 favorites]
Collapsed Pittsburgh bridge is one of 44,000 in poor condition in U.S.
Roughly 11% of the [Pennsylvania's] 30,000 bridges are assessed as being in poor condition, according to a Department of Transportation database, nearly twice the national average. Those bridges handle 5% of daily traffic in Pennsylvania.posted by octothorpe at 12:30 PM on January 28, 2022
I wonder how that bus driver is going to feel about getting back behind the wheel, whenever that happens.
I choose to pretend their surviving this brush with death leads them to believe they are invincible and become a masked superhero.
posted by pwnguin at 12:52 PM on January 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
I choose to pretend their surviving this brush with death leads them to believe they are invincible and become a masked superhero.
posted by pwnguin at 12:52 PM on January 28, 2022 [2 favorites]
"The United State has 44,000 bridges in poor condition" is a misleading statistic because Bridges Georg who lives in Pittsburgh has 40,000 rusting 19th century and New Deal bridges.
posted by Pyry at 1:11 PM on January 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Pyry at 1:11 PM on January 28, 2022 [3 favorites]
"$4.2 billion diverted from PennDOT road and bridge repairs to fund state police, new audit reveals. Over the past six years, $4.25 billion has been diverted from the Motor License Fund to repair roads and bridges, and used to fund Pennsylvania State Police, the state auditor general announced."
From @1Hood
posted by indexy at 1:26 PM on January 28, 2022 [14 favorites]
From @1Hood
posted by indexy at 1:26 PM on January 28, 2022 [14 favorites]
Minor correction some people on the Pittsburgh subreddit are saying it is actually a city-owned bridge which doesn't make much sense to me as PennDot was blamed for not being able to make traffic improvements to Forbes to prevent pedestrian/cyclist deaths but really I don't know anything about state & local infrastructure funding.
posted by muddgirl at 3:06 PM on January 28, 2022
posted by muddgirl at 3:06 PM on January 28, 2022
Road and bridge ownership and responsibility between the state and the city is often murky and disputed.
posted by octothorpe at 5:45 PM on January 28, 2022
posted by octothorpe at 5:45 PM on January 28, 2022
Road and bridge ownership and responsibility between the state and the city is often murky and disputed.
Well. Isn’t that convenient? Does this country even work at all?
posted by amanda at 9:24 AM on January 29, 2022
Well. Isn’t that convenient? Does this country even work at all?
posted by amanda at 9:24 AM on January 29, 2022
Does this country even work at all?
I think you already know the answer.
posted by octothorpe at 9:40 AM on January 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
I think you already know the answer.
posted by octothorpe at 9:40 AM on January 29, 2022 [1 favorite]
Well, this little coincidence should keep the conspiracy nuts busy this weekend.
My FB feed was full of 'hey isn't it weird the day Biden comes to visit this bridge goes down. And also the Lt. Gov was also nearby. ' But also 'our taxes are high and the Infrastructure bill is paying just for bike lanes so it wouldn't have helped this.
All in the same post.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 5:56 PM on January 29, 2022
My FB feed was full of 'hey isn't it weird the day Biden comes to visit this bridge goes down. And also the Lt. Gov was also nearby. ' But also 'our taxes are high and the Infrastructure bill is paying just for bike lanes so it wouldn't have helped this.
All in the same post.
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 5:56 PM on January 29, 2022
The Lt. Gov was nearby because because he lives right down the road and drove over when he saw the news.
posted by octothorpe at 7:17 PM on January 29, 2022
posted by octothorpe at 7:17 PM on January 29, 2022
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As one of the major roadways through the area, this will be hugely disruptive, especially to the Regent Square and Wilkinsburg communities. I'm glad, and again surprised, that this collapse resulted in only injuries and no one was killed.
posted by meinvt at 6:27 AM on January 28, 2022 [24 favorites]