An emergency inspection of the Swindell Bridge over the Parkway North found that a tear in the bridge’s drain trough was to blame for the debris falling from the structure Friday. The city announced Tuesday that the bridge will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
Inspectors found that material from milling and resurfacing work had accumulated in the bridge’s expansion joint drainage trough, until enough of it caused the trough to tear open and spill onto I-279. The bridge will remain closed until the trough is cleaned and replaced, and milling and pavement work is completed.
Crews inspected the structural components of the bridge and did not find any additional deterioration or damage, according to a statement from the city.
Officials will meet with a bridge contractor this week to discuss the repairs and estimate a timeline. It’s not yet clear if the work will impact traffic along I-279 itself.
According to Pittsburgh’s Bureau of Fire and Safety, an additional engine will be staffed to minimize delays from any detours during the closure.
Inspecting the city’s other bridges
Meanwhile, groundwork is being laid for Mayor Ed Gainey’s plan to conduct a thorough review of all city-owned bridges. Bills introduced to City Council Tuesday would establish a trust fund for the Bridge Asset Management Program. The plan is to hire a Montreal-based engineering firm to inspect all 150 of the city’s bridges.
Gainey first announced plans for a comprehensive review of Pittsburgh’s bridges in May. At the time, residents were raising concerns about the Swindell Bridge on the city’s North Side. Last week, the bridge was closed after emergency crews responded to reports of debris falling from the underside of the structure. Concerns about the Swindell Bridge began surfacing shortly after the winter collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge in the City’s East End.
On Tuesday, legislation was introduced to council to award WSP Global, Inc a $1.5 million contract to run the bridge-oversight program. Council must approve the contract before work can begin.
Council will pay for the program with federal coronavirus aid . According to the city’s Office of Management and Budget, $2.5 million in federal cash would be put into the trust fund to cover expenses. Should the contract with WSP be approved, the remaining $1 million could be used “for additional services of the same kind,” said Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak.
General infrastructure projects are not an allowable use for the federal cash, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. But according to Pawlak, federal aid can be used for the effort because the money won’t directly fund repairs or construct new bridges. “It’s going to professional services to help us get a clearer picture of the needs of our assets,” he said.
Pawlak said the city’s law department and a consultant hired to monitor the city's compliance with the rules ,Maher Duessel, “have thoroughly reviewed the proposal.”
WSP will be tasked with a number of jobs: reviewing all recent inspections on city bridges, recommending changes to the Department of Mobility and, Infrastructure’s current bridge repair plan, establishing a plan for each bridge, and developing a new bridge maintenance division.
WSP would also search for a consultant to perform bridge inspections on all bridges currently rated “poor.” The city would enter a separate contract for those inspections. Gainey said in May he expects to have the bridge report by October, though the proposed contract with WSP Global is slated to last two years.
“We take the safety and security of our bridges seriously, and this program is critical for us to make sure the bridges in Pittsburgh are safe for everyone," Gainey said of the program in May.
Both bills related to the program could be discussed by council as early as next week.
