The city of Pittsburgh has closed Schenley Park's Panther Hollow Bridge as of Saturday morning, based on the recommendation of bridge inspectors.
In a release, the city said it was acting "amid an abundance of caution," pending further study of the bridge's condition.
"Based on the recommendation of PennDOT and the inspection consultant we will be closing the bridge as a public safety measure until further analysis can be completed,” city Chief Engineer Eric Setzler said in the statement.
It was not immediately clear what concerns inspectors identified in the late 19th-century structure, which received a rating of "fair" in a 2022 assessment of city bridges. That survey, initiated by Mayor Ed Gainey after the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge, recommended further ultrasonic testing of the structure. Such testing can identify cracks in steel bridge members and other problems in the structure.
The Panther Hollow span, which crosses over Schenley Park's Panther Hollow Lake, lies near the Charles Anderson Bridge, which has been closed since early 2023.
Gainey was set to kick off renovations to the Anderson bridge at an event this Monday.
“I made a pledge to the residents of Pittsburgh that I will not hesitate to close a bridge for the safety of our citizens," Gainey said in the city's Saturday morning statement. He credited his Bridge Asset Management program with making officials "aware of this situation early, allowing us to act in a proactive manner to close this bridge."
It was not immediately clear when further testing could take place, much less what work, if any, would be necessary for it to reopen.
The closing has necessitated a detour that conducts traffic through Squirrel Hill by way of Wightman, Beacon and Hobart streets.
The city said it would have detour signage in place within "several days."
