Work begins beneath crumbling bridge following Channel 11 report

PITTSBURGH — Crews were spotted beneath a crumbling bridge in the city of Pittsburgh on Monday, just days after Channel 11 reported on the neighborhood’s concerns.

Channel 11 told you earlier this month that rusty pieces of metal and debris have been falling from the California Avenue Bridge, which runs over Brighton Heights and Marshall-Shadeland.

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Marcie Kemmler, who owns nearby Don’s Diner, said she’s been fighting for safety improvements for two years.

“I won’t quit until it’s safe for everybody,” she said.

Kemmler told us that crews are currently working to install a fence around a parking lot that’s beneath the bridge.

“These guys were true to their word, they said they were going to be out here today, they’re fencing off the lot because a lot of people drive through here, park their cars for a lunch break, and there’s pieces falling,” she said.

Meantime, a city spokesperson previously sent us a statement claiming that the city has secured funding to install “some type of shielding, either netting or steel structure, for the underside of the bridge to help protect drivers and pedestrians from falling debris.”

That work could begin in the coming weeks.

Kemmler said she hopes to see the netting cover the entire underside of the bridge.

The city said a full rehabilitation project is scheduled for the bridge, but construction may not start until late 2025.

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