PITTSBURGH — The city of Pittsburgh is moving forward with plans to settle lawsuits related to the collapse of a bridge that occurred over two and a half years ago, seeking approval for a $500,000 payment.
Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak announced on Friday that he has requested the Pittsburgh City Council to approve the full liability damage cap amount to resolve lawsuits from individuals who were on the city-owned Forbes Avenue bridge at the time of its failure on January 28, 2022. The incident resulted in a bus and four cars plummeting approximately 100 feet into Fern Hollow Creek, with another vehicle overturning after driving off the east bridge abutment. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, though several injuries were reported.
The proposed settlement awaits the endorsement of both the city council and a overseeing judge.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys expressed their surprise at the city’s acknowledgment of responsibility and commitment to pay the statutory limit to partially settle the case, while also confirming that legal actions against three engineering firms will continue.
Federal investigators concluded that the city failed to maintain and repair the bridge adequately, ignoring inspection reports that highlighted the structure’s deteriorating steel components. City officials did not contest these findings, noting the establishment of a new bridge maintenance division and an increase in funding for maintenance and repair efforts.
A new bridge has since opened at the site, located five miles east of downtown Pittsburgh, as of December 2022.
