Pittsburgh Bridge Collapses the Same Day as Biden Infrastructure Talk in City

Friday, the same day as President Joe Biden planned to deliver a speech in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on improving the nation’s infrastructureA two-lane bridge in the center of the city collapsed, causing at least ten injuries.

The collapse took place just before 7:00 am local. happened on Forbes AvenueOfficials call it an important city thoroughfare. Although traffic was slightly reduced on Friday, approximately 14,500 vehicles cross the bridge each day. due to school weather delays.

Ten people sustained minor injuries. Three other individuals required hospitalization due to non-life-threatening injuries. Although no fatalities have been reported, first responders are still searching below the bridge to determine if anyone was under the structure when it fell.

A two-part, elongated bus was on the bridgeWhen it fell. The incident occurred when the bus was carrying one passenger, and the driver.

State officials said that the bridge’s collapse should serve as a reminder that infrastructure across the country urgently needs upgrading.

“I hope it’s a wake-up call to the nation that we need to make these infrastructure investments,” Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) said.

The bridge was constructed in 1970. However, the report has not been made public. A 2019 inspection of the bridge found that the deck and superstructure were in poor shape. Between that inspection and the collapse, no major repairs were made to the bridge.

The White House has been in touch with local authorities regarding the incident. Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary said that Biden would still give remarks at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, later in Friday.

“[Biden] is grateful to the first responders who rushed to assist the drivers who were on the bridge at the time,” Psaki said in a tweet. “The President will proceed with [the] trip planned for today and will stay in touch with officials on the ground about additional assistance we can provide.”

Given the incident’s direct relation to infrastructure issues that Biden had already planned to discuss during his visit to the city, there’s a high likelihood that he will mention the bridge’s collapse during his speech on Friday.

Just two weeks ago, Biden announced a new program aimed at repairing and replacing U.S. bridgesThose that are in poor physical condition. The program will be funded by the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, which Congress passed last year and which Biden signed into Law in November.

According to the National Bridge Inventory’s 2021 data, 43,000 bridges across the country are in a similar condition as the Forbes Avenue bridge in Pittsburgh that was before its collapse.