Statement on Fern Hollow Bridge Collapse

On behalf of The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Pittsburgh Section we are saddened by the news of the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse early this morning, January 28, 2022, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Safety is the top priority of every civil engineer, and protecting public health and safety is core to our mission at ASCE. We share our compassion to all of those affected by this unfortunate incident.  

While collapses like these are highly unusual and extremely rare, it is imperative to identify the root cause of failures when they do occur, and to ensure that proactive steps are taken to prevent future incidents.

The 2018 ASCE Pennsylvania Infrastructure Report Card graded the Commonwealth’s bridges at a D+.  Of Pennsylvania’s more than 22,779 highway bridges – the ninth largest inventory in the nation – 18.3% (4,173 bridges) are classified as being in poor condition, down from 24.4% in 2014. On average, Pennsylvania’s bridges are 15 years older than the national average and continue to be in need of repair and modernization. 

ASCE applauds the Federal Highway Administration’s announcement last week that $26.5 billion in bridge funding is now available from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, including $1.6 billion over 5 years for Pennsylvania.  This new funding includes a 15% set aside for bridges off the highway system, like Fern Hollow.

ASCE fully supports the need for continued engineering assessments to pinpoint the cause of the collapse, and we stand ready to support official investigations with technical expertise and advice available through our 150,000 civil engineer members worldwide.

While we learn more about why this particular collapse occurred, we support and thank all the first responders, utility workers, and public safety representatives who conducted essential rescue efforts and addressed this morning’s incident as quickly as possible. We will also continue to keep those who have been injured in our hearts and thoughts.

Erin Feichtner, PE

President, ASCE Pittsburgh Section 2021-2022