Bridge That Carries Blvd. of Allies over Schenley Park Is Closed for Safety Concerns

The Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge will remain open to pedestrians and bicyclists.
Screenshot 2023 02 01 At 54845 Pm

PHOTO VIA GOOGLE MAPS

Drivers headed to and from Oakland via Schenley Park are facing a minimum of four months of detours.

A recent structural analysis of the 780-foot-long span revealed deficiencies that prompted the city to shut it down immediately. Pedestrians and bicyclists will still be able to use the bridge during the repairs.

“I made a pledge to the residents of Pittsburgh that I will not hesitate to close a bridge for the safety of our citizens,” Mayor Ed Gainey said in a statement Wednesday. “Inspection results have come back that tell us this bridge needs repair work to be safe for traffic.”

The bridge, opened in 1938, is used by an average of more than 21,000 vehicles a day. According to state Department of Transportation records, the bridge is listed as being in poor condition with a 32-ton limit for single vehicles and a combined weight limit of 40 tons.

Following last year’s collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge, Gainey launched a new bridge asset management program to ensure that the 147 city-owned bridges were inspected and maintained.

“It’s because of the safety systems that we have put in place over the last year that we can act immediately, and proactively, to close this bridge—preventing another Fern Hollow,” said Gainey.

The city estimates repairs will take at least four months and cost between $1 million and $2 millon. The bridge was already slated for a full $48 million rehabilitation and the design process is already underway. City officials are looking into options to speed up the timeline of that project.

 

Categories: The 412