Pittsburgh bridge collapse injures ten same day President Biden visits city to talk infrastructure

A major bridge collapsed in Pittsburgh just hours before President Biden arrived to promote his new infrastructure law. Biden planned to provide an outline of the country’s crumbling transport system, whilst also re-iterating that plans to improve this are likely to take years.

Ten people were hurt in the collapse, with rescuers forming a human chain to get to access the injured parties. At least four people were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries following the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge just before 7 a.m., the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

The bridge, which is part of Forbes Avenue, traverses Fern Hollow Creek in Frick Park. The collapse also caused a large gas leak.

“There was a boom, then a monster sound,” Melissa Bakth, who heard the collapse at her home nearby, told the Post-Gazette. “It was so loud, and it didn’t stop. It could’ve been me. I’m on that bridge every day. It’s very, very busy.”

The mayor said, “We’re just going to continue to hope for the best and make sure that we get this together. We know we have bridges we need to take care of. With [President Biden] coming today to talk about this infrastructure bill, to discuss why this funding is so important, today is significant.”

Congress passed a bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure package in November that included $27.5 billion to fix bridges, and since then Biden has visited several states to pitch its benefits. Andy Herrmann, a former president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, said the sum represents just a “down payment” toward what is needed across the country.

“We’re the city of bridges, and how many are out there?” said Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D), who also visited the site on Friday. “I hope it’s a wake-up call to the nation that we have to make these critical infrastructure investments and that people are afforded a safe drive to work.