NTSB sets date this month to determine probable cause of Fern Hollow Bridge collapse
The National Transportation Safety Board will meet later this month to determine the probable cause of the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse.
The 447-foot-long span collapsed in Pittsburgh’s Frick Park the morning of Jan. 28, 2022. Six vehicles, including a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus, fell into the ravine below, injuring several people.
The NTSB said Wednesday that it will vote Feb. 21 during a virtual meeting on adopting investigators’ findings and the probable cause of the bridge failure.
Investigators have found that that accumulation of water and debris caused corrosion and deterioration on all of the bridge’s legs.
Those findings prompted the board in May to issue an early safety recommendation urging the Federal Highway Administration to prioritize follow-up actions on bridges with similar uncoated weathering steel components.
During the NTSB’s upcoming meeting, the board will also vote on recommendations.
Related:
• NTSB urges bridge owners to fix drainage, corrosion problems that plagued Fern Hollow
• Fern Hollow Bridge documents reveal PennDOT's concern over city's lack of action
• Additional defendants named in Fern Hollow Bridge civil suits
Julia Felton is a TribLive reporter covering Pittsburgh City Hall and other news in and around Pittsburgh. A La Roche University graduate, she joined the Trib in 2020. She can be reached at jfelton@triblive.com.
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