Gainey proposes $1.5M contract to assess 150 Pittsburgh bridges

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey has proposed to spend $1.5 million to contract a company to help assess the structural integrity of the city’s 150 bridges.

Bills in front of Pittsburgh City Council would advance Gainey’s plans to ensure local bridges are safe through the Bridge Asset Management Program.

Gainey in May outlined his plans for the initiative, which will be tasked with overseeing the safety, maintenance and funding of the city’s bridges.

A measure introduced to City Council Tuesday would allow the city to contract with WSP USA, an international company offering expertise in transportation and infrastructure, to manage the Comprehensive Bridge Asset Management Program.

The two-year agreement would cost $1.5 million.

Another measure introduced to City Council on Tuesday would create the Bridge Asset Management Program Trust Fund to fund the initiative.

According to the legislation, City Council would later authorize a deposit of American Rescue Plan Act money into the fund to pay for the program. The amount of ARPA money that would go into the fund was not immediately available.

Other cash could also be deposited into the trust fund as needed, according to the legislation.

Gainey said he launched the Bridge Asset Management Program in response to increased concerns about the city’s bridges in the wake of the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse in January.

The team assembled through the program will review current bridge conditions and send the mayor a report on their findings by October. They also will develop a list of immediate, near-term bridge repairs that need to be made and create a comprehensive management plan for each of the city’s bridges, complete with recommendations for investments that can ensure a bridge’s safety and expand its lifespan.

The program also will create a new bridge maintenance division, which will be responsible for bridge maintenance and upkeep.