NTSB To Issue Final Ruling On Pittsburgh Bridge Collapse

PITTSBURGH, PA — Two years after the spectacular collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh, the National Transportation Safety Board is set to issue its final findings on the incident.

The board will hold a virtual meeting on Feb. 21 to determine the probable cause of the 447-foot-long bridge.

The city-owned Fern Hollow span on Forbes Avenue collapsed into Frick Park on Jan. 28, 2022. Five vehicles and an articulating Pittsburgh Regional Transit were sent plummeting onto a park walking path. No one was killed in the incident, but 10 people were injured.

PresidentJoe Biden, who was in town that day to tout the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that had been recently passed, toured the site and made a return visit in October. The bridge replacement project was fast-tracked and a new Fern Hollow span opened in December 2022.

NTSB investigators found corrosion, deterioration, and section loss on all four of the bridge’s legs due to the continual accumulation of water and debris.

During the board meeting, the NTSB’s board will vote on the final findings, probable cause, and recommendations. The board will also vote on any changes to the draft final report.