PITTSBURGH \u2014 Sections of a deteriorating bridge are now closed off to both cars and pedestrians. We\u2019re talking about the California Avenue Bridge, which connects Marshall-Shadeland and Brighton Heights. <\/p>\n
PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Woman worries crumbling California Avenue bridge will be the next Fern Hollow<\/a><\/p>\n For years, Channel 11 has reporting on issues with the bridge, from rusted rebar to crumbling concrete. Now, part of the bridge is in such bad shape that it\u2019s blocked off and will be for at least the next couple of years. <\/p>\n Large pieces of metal, even chunks of concrete, have been falling from this bridge. A metal fence was installed to contain all the debris raining down from above, but it\u2019s now falling outside of that area onto the road and sidewalk below.<\/p>\n PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Work begins to place netting below crumbling California Avenue bridge<\/a><\/p>\n For six years, Marcie Kemmler says she\u2019s been trying to sound the alarm about the crumbling California Avenue Bridge.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to see anyone to get hurt,\u201d Kemmler tells Channel 11. <\/p>\n Kemmler owns Don\u2019s Diner on Eckert Street, right below the bridge. She says concrete and metal crumble, and it\u2019s even worse when it rains outside. <\/p>\n \u201cIt falls on my customers\u2019 cars, it\u2019s in the street, it\u2019s on the sidewalk,\u201d Kemmler said.<\/p>\n Kemmler says that debris even falls through the netting that was installed in 2023 to catch falling material! And it lands in the road or on the sidewalks where people walk. <\/p>\n PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Debris continues to fall off Pittsburgh bridge despite city installing netting<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWhen it was warm out, bike riders, walking their dogs, kids walking,\u201d Kemmler added. <\/p>\n Last week, the bridge was inspected. The city says, \u201cinspectors identified a critical issue in a section of the bridge deck during their routine inspection on Tuesday, February 24th. We are implementing a short lane shift using temporary jersey barriers to isolate the deteriorated section. This will likely remain in place until construction begins on the rehabilitation project expected in 2028.\u201d<\/p>\n Now plywood is blocking off the pedestrian walkways, and there are more than half a dozen jersey barriers to skirt traffic around a deteriorating portion of the bridge. Water is pooling, and the bridge\u2019s joints appear to be dipping inward. <\/p>\n Kemmler says she\u2019s no engineer, but she believes the bridge needs to be shut down. She fears what could happen if it\u2019s not. <\/p>\n \u201cI know the one part is closed off, redirect traffic around it, what about the rest of the bridge that is just crumbling?\u201d Kemmler tells Channel 11. \u201cWhen part of it falls through somebody\u2019s windshield or hits someone, God forbid, what are you going to do? Still leave it open?\u201d<\/p>\n The city says the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure is going to keep an eye on the bridge, monitoring it between inspections scheduled for every six months. <\/p>\n Download the FREE WPXI News app<\/a> for breaking news alerts.<\/p>\n Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>. | Watch WPXI NOW<\/a><\/p>\n TOP STORIES FROM CHANNEL 11 NEWS <\/p>\n \u00a92026 Cox Media Group<\/p>\n