An Allegheny County Common Pleas judge on Wednesday said that three companies identified as having worked on the Fern Hollow Bridge prior to its collapse must turn over records for his review.
Judge Philip A. Ignelzi said in an order that the documents in question — bridge problem reports, critical finding letters, load and structural analyses, inspection reports, and correspondence with the city — must be delivered only to his courtroom where he will review them himself in chambers.
The records will not go to those attorneys representing victims of the collapse — at least not right away.
The decision follows a weeks-long court battle during which the City of Pittsburgh, the owner of the Fern Hollow Bridge when it collapsed on Jan. 28, 2022, attempted to fight the subpoenas on behalf of Gannett Flemming, CDM Smith and Michael Baker Corporation.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys are attempting to identify the parties who may be responsible for the bridge’s collapse prior to the two-year anniversary so that they meet the required statute of limitations for filing suit.
They have accused the city of attempting to hinder their efforts by trying to block the subpoenas and refusing the identify the company responsible for cleaning the drains on the bridge, which investigators have said may have contributed to the collapse.
The 447-foot-long bridge, which ran along Forbes Avenue over a ravine in Frick Park, collapsed before dawn that day, taking six vehicles with it, including a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus.
Several people were injured. Lawsuits have already been filed by three of them. The others have until Jan. 28 to do the same.
Also on Wednesday, Ignelzi deferred ruling on whether the city is required to turn over bridge inspection reports to the plaintiffs. That’s because the city has agreed to run a number of search terms through records, including email and 311 logs, to attempt to determine what companies may have worked on the span and when.
Those records could allow the victims on the bridge to identify potential parties to sue.
According to Ignelzi’s order, the city must commence the search by Dec. 4 and produce whatever materials result from it by Dec. 18.
