Residents concerned about pieces falling off California Avenue Bridge
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Residents in the city's North Side are concerned about a bridge's condition.
People living near the California Avenue Bridge said pieces of the bridge have been falling off of it. They want something done before someone gets hurt.
Chunks of metal and rusted steel sit at the corner of McClure Avenue and Eckert Street on the North Side.
"It almost hit me. It was scary," said Marcie Kemmler, who has a house under the bridge and owns a restaurant there.
She said it has been deteriorating for the last few years but it's getting worse.
"There are pieces of bolts, there's metal plates, a 10-foot pole fell off into the middle of the street," Kemmler said.
According to her, there have been customers who have seen pieces fall and, in some cases, have had their cars hit by the debris. The state said the city-owned bridge is in fair condition.
"A lot of residents are not buying it. If it is in fair condition, and it's okay to drive over, that's one thing. The debris falling off of it is another thing," North Side resident Jacob Dumont said.
The fear is that something could fall and hit someone, or worse, the bridge could fail.
"It's definitely a hazard. In some ways, it's a danger. It could be an accident waiting to happen for someone," Brighton Heights Citizens Federation President Joseph Glassbrenner said.
It's gotten to the point that Kemmler fears the worst when she hears any weird noises outside her home.
"It's so bad that my son doesn't even want me going out anymore to walk under it, where I would need a hard hat," Kemmler said.
She just wants some action done, even something as simple as a net to catch the debris while she waits for the bridge to be fixed.
"It's not in good shape, and I just hope something gets done with it. I would be greatly appreciative of it," Kemmler said.
Mayor Ed Gainey's office said the city's Department of Mobility and Infrastructure will inspect the bridge on Tuesday.
