Herron Avenue Bridge in Pittsburgh closed until further notice, deemed ‘deficient’

PITTSBURGH — A bridge in Pittsburgh is closed until further notice following an inspection.

The city said the Herron Avenue Bridge in Lawrenceville closed after recommendations from structural inspection consultants. According to PRT, the bridge was deemed “deficient.”

When Channel 11 went beneath the bridge, we discovered exposed rebar and crumbling cement.

“No one wants another Fern Hollow,” said Olga George, the press secretary for the City of Pittsburgh.

Barricades and detour signs were posted within hours of the emergency notice of the bridge closure.

Channel 11 approached city officials to find out how long the closure would last and to learn more about the bridge’s condition.

According to the mayor’s office, city council approved a full rehabilitation of the bridge in 2023. However, the work is not scheduled to begin until 2028, which means the bridge has been placed on a watch list.

“This bridge is inspected every six months because it is on the list for rehabilitation in 2028. Because of that, we have been conducting inspections every six months,” George said.

During the most recent inspection in April, signs of deterioration were detected. The inspectors recommended a follow-up inspection, which took place on Tuesday.

“The inspectors discovered that the pier supporting the bridge has deteriorated much faster than anticipated, so it had to be closed. It is not safe for motorists to drive over,” George said.

The city explained that contractors will likely need to assess the extent of the damage, meaning it is unclear when the bridge will reopen.

Around 1,700 drivers use the bridge every day, including Frank DiNardo, who relies on it as a shortcut to avoid traffic.

“It sucks, but it is what it is. It’s probably going to add another 20 minutes to half an hour to my commute now that I don’t have a straight shot,” DiNardo said.

Now he will have to take the Bloomfield Bridge.

“That’s always a mess too, and living up there in Bloomfield is going to make traffic even crazier than it already is,” he added.

The city stated they will work as quickly as possible and hope that residents will be understanding.

The following detours are in place during the closure:

Southbound traffic: Southbound detour route will utilize Liberty Avenue to the Bloomfield Bridge to Bigelow Boulevard

Northbound traffic: Northbound detour will utilize Bigelow Boulevard to the Bloomfield Bridge to Liberty Avenue

For PRT riders, this impacts the North Side, Oakland and South Side routes.

For more information on the PRT stops impacted, click here.

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