On January 28th, 2022, Pittsburgh’s Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed, severing an important neighborhood connection. The closure of Forbes Avenue also restricted access for mass transit and school bus routes which created a burden for those who relied on public transit. PennDOT knew it had to reopen that bridge—and fast. An Emergency Proclamation allowed PennDOT and the City of Pittsburgh to partner and utilize all available powers, resources, and personnel to cope with the magnitude and severity of the bridge collapse. By utilizing a progressive design/build delivery process, a project that would normally take four to five years from conception to completion was substantially complete in under 11 months, making commuters safer and avoiding years of detours. The $25.3 million bridge also incorporated more bike and pedestrian accessibility with the inclusion of a shared use path in addition to sidewalk access.
America's Transportation Awards 