Pittsburgh drivers speak out, express concerns over Swindell Bridge

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh drivers are speaking out and expressing major concerns over the status of a City of Pittsburgh bridge.

“It’s really bad, really bad,” said Regina Staten of Penn Hills.

Staten says she grabs onto her steering wheel as tight as she can as she drives over the Swindell Bridge.

“Knocks your alignment out of place. You have to take your car to the shop eventually.”

Known as “the East Street bridge” and as a connector to Northview Heights, the Swindell Bridge takes traffic over the Parkway — and is littered with gaping clusters of potholes in both lanes.

“1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 ... Lot of potholes on this bridge,” said Eric Smith of Pittsburgh.

A Channel 11 camera captured crumbling concrete, exposed rebar, saw horses that restrict traffic, and a stop sign placed so only one car can pass at a time.

Drivers say they are worried, especially after the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse in January that injured nearly a dozen people.

“I’m terrified somethings gonna … Everybody tries to get across it as fast as they can,” said Staten.

The City of Pittsburgh owns the Swindell Bridge.

Both City Councilman Bobby Wilson and state Rep. Emily Kinkead say fixing the bridge is on their radar.

Wilson says the city’s infrastructure department confirmed there will be structural repairs to reopen the bridge to two-way traffic this summer.

The bridge deck will also be repaved with asphalt until a full rehabilitation can be done.

Currently, $10.9 million has been earmarked for the full rehabilitation of the Swindell Bridge.

Kinkead stresses that the bridge is still structurally sound.

“I need it to be fixed. Re-done. Before it cave in,” said Smith.

Channel 11 reached out to the mayor’s office for comment.

The mayor’s office said it is aware of concerns and is actively looking into the issue.

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