The Charles Anderson and Panther Hollow bridges are only a couple of hundred yards apart in Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park. Both are closed with serious structural problems, but Charles Anderson faces a bright future while Panther Hollow’s future is uncertain.
City officials tossed dirt for ceremonial groundbreaking at Charles Anderson on Monday to mark the start of a two-year $48.5 million rehabilitation project on the bridge. The 780-foot bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic since February 2023 after inspectors found problems with structural steel supports.
Instead of fixing short-term problems in advance of a full rehab in a couple of years, the city lobbied for full funding early so there would be only one extended closure.
Panther Hollow was closed indefinitely Saturday after consultant Larson Design Group found structural steel problems during a routine review to check the maximum weight the bridge should carry. The structure didn’t have a load restriction before the inspection, had a fair rating of 5 according to Federal Highway Administration standards and wasn’t scheduled for major work.
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Chief Engineer Eric Setzler said Monday that consultants are continuing to review Panther Hollow and haven’t reached a conclusion about how long it will be closed or what kind of work it will need. The 620-foot bridge opened in 1897 and has been upgraded several times, most recently in 1999.
“They aren’t done yet [with the structural analysis],” said Setzler, adding there is no time frame for the final report. “My inclination is there are structural steel repairs that are needed. We just have to react to the information as best we can [when Larson is finished].”
Gainey, who was in office less than a month when the Fern Hollow Bridge in Squirrel Hill collapsed in January 2022, has made the condition of bridges a top priority. Last year, consultant WSP Inc. issued a report that estimated the 146 bridges the city owns would need $471 million of improvements over the next 31 years, including nine that needed immediate work that would cost an estimated $471.6 million, including Anderson.
Gainey said he didn’t hesitate to close Panther Hollow when he heard about Larson’s finding. “It made me nervous,” said the mayor, who often mentions he never wants to get another call like the incident at Fern Hollow.
As for Anderson, crews for Mosites Construction Co. have started work on the support structure. The project will become more public Nov. 4, when the bridge deck closes for replacement, eliminating what has become a popular walking, running and bicycling route.
Eric Mehlman of South Oakland biked across the bridge just before Monday’s news conference. He said he uses that route almost daily and will miss the traffic-free tranquility he has found there.
“I was happy to see it staying like this,” he said. “It’s such a nice space. I’ll come through and now and then people are just there hanging out, talking. It’s safe. It’s quiet.”
But Andrea Boykowycz, executive director of Oakland Planning and Development Corp., called the bridge a “vital artery” to help move traffic through the neighborhood. About 20,000 motorists a day use the bridge.
“We’re very pleased that it’s getting started,” she said.
Anderson was opened in 1938 and has been rated in poor condition since 2012 because of advanced deterioration of the concrete deck and advanced section loss throughout the structure.
In an unfortunate sign of the times, Pittsburgh Councilman Bob Charland, whose district includes Central Oakland, was a few minutes late for the news conference.
He said, “It’s becoming harder and harder to get to this bridge.”
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.