Residents support closing Charles Anderson bridge, despite lack of warning

After the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed in Pittsburgh’s Frick Park in January 2022, Greg Savikas said he thinks it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to closing down bridges that might be unsafe.

Savikas, 41, of Greenfield, has driven on the Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge in Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park and frequently walks on Junction Hollow Trail, which runs under the span.

City officials on Wednesday closed the bridge unexpectedly, citing safety concerns. The bridge is still open for pedestrians and bicyclists, as is the trail below it.

“Seeing what happened with the (Fern Hollow Bridge), I think it’s a good precaution,” Savikas said. “You can see (the Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge) definitely looks rough.”

Rust was clearly visible from underneath the bridge as he looked up at it.

“I think they’re really trying to be proactive after the bridge (collapse),” Savikas said. “I’m glad they’re paying attention to it and taking action.”

He acknowledged that traffic will be impacted by the bridge closure, but said he understood the need to preemptively close the bridge if officials found it unsafe.

The 780-foot-long bridge, which opened in 1938, is used by an average of more than 21,000 vehicles a day.

PennDOT records list the bridge as being in poor condition, as does an independent comprehensive bridge report Mayor Ed Gainey commissioned after the Fern Hollow Bridge fell.

The bridge report, released in December, revealed 13 of the city’s 147 bridges had structural issues that experts felt should be addressed within seven days. Issues had been resolved at 10 of those bridges, according to the report.

Maria Montaño, a spokeswoman for the mayor, said the Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge was not one of the 13 bridges that experts felt needed to be addressed within a week.

Officials have not yet identified which spans were on that list. Montaño said she was working to obtain a copy of the list from WSP USA, the company that produced the report.

Related:

• Pittsburgh officials closing Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge because of safety concerns

• Dozens of bridges maintained by Pittsburgh in need of repairs within 6 months, report says

• Mayor Gainey launches bridge repair and infrastructure funding program

“Obviously, if there’s any real concerns with safety, I’d say shut it down,” said Jeff Ruby-Pinkham, 39, of Mt. Oliver, who was riding an electric scooter under the Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge on Wednesday.

August Korb, 23, said she’s seen the rust under the bridge while walking on Junction Hollow Trail.

“It’s always concerning, especially since the (Fern Hollow) bridge,” she said.

Korb said she wished the city had a more well-communicated plan before shutting down the span. Officials announced they were closing it Tuesday afternoon with very little warning.

Officials estimated repairs would take at least four months and would cost between $1 million and $2 million, but did not offer specifics about exactly what kind of work was needed to make the span safe again.

The bridge, which links Squirrel Hill and Greenfield to Oakland and Downtown, was already slated for a $48 million rehabilitation. Design work for that project is underway, officials said.