The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has ordered structural reviews of five other bridges with similar construction to the Pittsburgh bridge that collapsed last Friday.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that department officials ordered the reviews of the five bridges that share what is known as a k-frame design, where weight is placed on single supports that are not bolstered by secondary supports.
A department spokeswoman said all five bridges are rated fair or better_ meaning none of them are currently rated “poor” like the The Forbes Avenue bridge over Fern Hollow Creek in Frick Park that collapsed.
Experts have cautioned that thousands of bridges are rated poor nationally based on inspections, but that does not signal imminent danger or collapse. The rating means there is noticeable deterioration or corrosion and steps like weight limitations, rehabilitation or increased inspections may be needed until repairs are necessary or made.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating what caused the bridge to collapse.
The five Pennsylvania bridges that will be reviewed are the Canon-McMillan Alumni Bridge in North Strabane, the Shenango Road Bridge in Beaver, the Philip J. Fahy Memorial Bridge in Bethlehem, the McCallum Street Bridge in Philadelphia and the bridge over Beechwood Boulevard at Murray Avenue in Pittsburgh.
Photo: Vehicles that were on a bridge when it collapsed are visible, Friday Jan. 28, 2022, in Pittsburgh’s East End. When the bridge collapsed, rescuers rappeled nearly 150 feet while others formed a human chain to help rescue multiple people from a dangling bus. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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