It’s been the summer of bridges in Pittsburgh.

There was, of course, the closure of the Commercial Street Bridge on I-376 East just outside the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, which opened a full week ahead of schedule on July 27 after the old bridge was demolished and a new one set into place over 17 days.

Then there’s the Panther Hollow Bridge, which closed in October 2024 because of safety concerns. After nearly two years, the bridge, which connects Oakland to Schenley Park near Phipps Conservatory, reopened on Aug. 14.

The work on the 130 year-old bridge included repairing and strengthening truss connections at 52 locations, repairing steel stringers at seven locations, improving downspouts and expansion joints, repairing curbs and sidewalks, and installing of a protective coat over the roadway.

Still closed is the  Charles Anderson Bridge, which carries the Boulevard of the Allies over Junction Hollow into Schenley Park and is a key route into Oakland. It had been deemed structurally deficient as early as 2019 and was closed abruptly in February 2023 after an inspection found it was unsafe.

Plans for rehabilitating the bridge, which opened in 1940, were already in the works when it was closed. Initially, construction was set to begin in 2026, but the closing led the city to speed up the process. But the project has had several setbacks and now won’t reopen until at least 2028.

In February of this year, engineers identified previously unforeseen deterioration on portions of the steel framing of the bridge. It was determined that the replacement of multiple truss members was needed to maintain structural stability and safety during the rest of construction activities. In an update in July, the city said that work is nearing completion and the original rehabilitation work has recommenced.

The concrete deck will now be removed and the beams that support it will be replaced. This work will stretch into late 2027, the city said. Reconstruction of the bridge deck will begin in the spring of 2028.

The Swinburne Bridge in South Oakland also is in need of repairs, but work will not begin on it until after the Charles Anderson Bridge project is complete.

— Susan Jones

 

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