PennDOT to inspect bridges in Allegheny County over next few weeks

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — Following the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh, bridges and overpasses have been under strict scrutiny.

Over the next few weeks, PennDot is set to inspect a number of bridges in Allegheny County.

The McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge is the largest undergoing routine inspections.

The work is no small task.

“The major river crossings are extremely large scale. They take quite some time,” said Cheryl Moon-Sirianni, PennDot District 11′s District Executive.

District 11 owns, and has to inspect, almost 1,800 bridges.

Most get inspected every two years.

“We wouldn’t want to have to inspect all of them at the same time, so it’s staggered that way so we can inspect them routinely,” said Shane Szalankiewicz, PennDot District 11′s Bridge Engineer.

Inspectors will be thoroughly evaluating the quality and condition of the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge and the northbound Route 837 ramp on to that bridge.

Plus, the Overhead Union Railroad bridge on Route 837 in Clairton and the Railroad Viaduct on the Tri-Boro Expressway in Turtle Creek will also be checked out by railroad inspectors.

“We look at every aspect of the bridge” explained Szalankiewicz.  “We document any sort of deterioration and if there’s anything notable, we’ll go in and update our analysis.”

“A lot of these bigger bridges require scaffolding or cranes or equipment of large scale that obviously takes up a lane of the roadway,” added Moon-Sirianni.

Because of the scope of the work, traffic could be impacted.

Drivers should expect some slight slowdowns through the work zones.

“Please, especially if you see like a crane or any folks out moving around, please be careful, drive very slowly through that,” said Moon-Sirianni.

The inspection work will take place from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm.

It’s expected to last until late August.

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