PITTSBURGH — Sections of a deteriorating bridge are now closed off to both cars and pedestrians. We’re talking about the California Avenue Bridge, which connects Marshall-Shadeland and Brighton Heights.
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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’s blocked off and will be for at least the next couple of years.
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’s now falling outside of that area onto the road and sidewalk below.
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For six years, Marcie Kemmler says she’s been trying to sound the alarm about the crumbling California Avenue Bridge.
“I don’t want to see anyone to get hurt,” Kemmler tells Channel 11.
Kemmler owns Don’s Diner on Eckert Street, right below the bridge. She says concrete and metal crumble, and it’s even worse when it rains outside.
“It falls on my customers’ cars, it’s in the street, it’s on the sidewalk,” Kemmler said.
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.
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“When it was warm out, bike riders, walking their dogs, kids walking,” Kemmler added.
Last week, the bridge was inspected. The city says, “inspectors 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.”
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’s joints appear to be dipping inward.
Kemmler says she’s no engineer, but she believes the bridge needs to be shut down. She fears what could happen if it’s not.
“I know the one part is closed off, redirect traffic around it, what about the rest of the bridge that is just crumbling?” Kemmler tells Channel 11. “When part of it falls through somebody’s windshield or hits someone, God forbid, what are you going to do? Still leave it open?”
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.
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