WESA's local, independent journalism is only possible because of financial support from readers like you. Please support WESA by making a donation during our fall fundraising campaign.
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s administration announced Friday morning that it is offering $500,000 to victims of the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse.
The move, which plaintiffs’ attorneys said caught them by surprise, requires City Council approval and the OK of the judge in the two-year-old lawsuit. The amount represents the maximum that state law allows municipalities to be liable for.
“We acknowledge overall that it was our bridge, we acknowledge we have a liability up to the cap [on liability], and the plaintiffs and the court can decide how to parcel it out,” said Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak.
Pawlak said the move was based on advice from the city’s law department on how the case had proceeded so far since 2022.
“The entire case up to this point has been about determining the liability of the city to each individual plaintiff,” he said. “We’ve not been able to reach a satisfactory conclusion for anybody yet in that regard.
“We think that this simplifies that process and takes us, the city, out of the question of particular liability to any one plaintiff.”
A statement from the group of attorneys representing the victims of the collapse said the offer was not discussed with them beforehand: “No attorneys for any of the victims of the collapse were contacted about this action.”
Still, the statement said, “We appreciate the City finally accepting responsibility for allowing one of its bridges to collapse, and agreeing to pay its statutory limits to partially resolve this case.”
The attorneys expect to discuss the topic further in court, and plan on continuing with their cases against three engineering firms that had been involved in prior bridge inspections.
Legislation to release the money will be introduced next week in city council. If council or the judge doesn’t sign off, the case will continue as it is going currently.
The Fern Hollow Bridge, which connects the neighborhoods of Squirrel Hill and Regent Square, collapsed around 6:39 a.m. on Jan. 28, 2022. A Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus and four cars were on the bridge when it fell. Nine people were in the vehicles, and several of them were injured in the incident.
Last weekend, Gainey announced his campaign for reelection at an event held underneath the new Fern Hollow Bridge, and while the structure was replaced with federal funds, he touted the rebuilding as a success story.
Support WESA
WESA keeps you informed. And an informed community is more likely to vote, take care of local institutions, and work together to help others. We highlight solutions to our community’s challenges and clear a path for our neighbors to thrive.
The best local news has a positive impact on the people who use it. That’s what we do here at WESA. We aim to help our community through trusted news. Your gift supports the information everyone in Pittsburgh needs. One story can change someone’s life. You can make that story possible.
Your contribution protects a free press here in Pittsburgh. Please make sure our region can depend on news that’s based on facts.
Please make a one-time gift or consider increasing your monthly support by $2 or $3.
