Photojournalism Files - The Fern Hollow Bridge

Getting a last minute call for a front page cover story image can catch you a little off guard. This past week, the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh, PA was suddenly nearing completion. This was a big deal for Pittsburgh Residents. 

On January 28, 2022, at 6:39 a.m, the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed.  Nearby residents reported hearing a loud boom and a whooshing noise around 6:35–6:40 a.m. Many credited the early morning time of collapse for the lack of fatalities, as the bridge was a route for many school buses, public transportation, and commuters to work. Pittsburgh Fire Chief Darryl Jones said it was very fortunate the collapse occurred before the morning rush hour. The bridge was covered with a blanket of snow from an overnight storm that had passed through the area.

Interestingly enough, that very same day, President Joe Biden was scheduled to speak in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Mellon University about, you guessed it, Infrastructure. 

Budget dollars were released and in less than 1 year, a new bridge was erected. Construction of the replacement bridge began on May 9, 2022, marked by drilling for caissons and concrete pouring. By July 25, the support piers had been completed and the first prestressed concrete beams had arrived on-site, where they were lifted into place. The replacement bridge was completed by December 2022. These photos were shot on Tuesday, December 20th. 

All photos were captured in 48 MegaPixel RAW and graded in Adobe LightRoom. Time to complete the job, from wheels up to location to final delivery of files was less than 3 hours.