Federal investigation of the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh is underway

Governor Tom Wolf today re-emphasized the critical need to invest in our infrastructure as the investigation into the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh continues.  

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently conducting a thorough investigation on site, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is supporting this effort. 

On Friday, the governor invited President Joe Biden to join him to visit the site of the bridge, which collapsed earlier that morning. The governor then took swift action hours later, signing a proclamation of disaster emergency for Allegheny County to ensure quick response for reconstruction. 

“Seeing the collapsed bridge and talking with the first responders on site was startling and it’s a miracle that there were no serious injuries or deaths. I am extremely grateful for our first responders and local officials, who ensured the public’s safety in the aftermath,” Gov. Wolf said. “The fact is, our aging infrastructure has been ignored for decades and that’s why I’m so grateful President Joe Biden joined us at the bridge collapse on Friday and that he shares my ongoing commitment to strengthening our roads and bridges.

“While the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will go a long way to support our nation and our commonwealth, we must heed this collapse as a sign that we must take steps at the state level to prevent a future tragedy. The federal investments coming to Pennsylvania are significant, but they simply won’t fully fund our multi-billion-dollar infrastructure funding gap, which continues to grow,” Gov. Wolf said. “We must come together in bipartisan fashion to enact long-term funding solutions for our own infrastructure system.”