River Traffic Allowed To Resume Underneath Liberty Bridge
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- According to a press release from PennDOT, river traffic has been allowed to resume underneath the damaged Liberty Bridge.
The Liberty Bridge remains closed in both directions after a fire sent a thick cloud of smoke billowing into the sky over the city Friday.
The resumption of river traffic is thanks to "favorable weather conditions and the cooperation of all parties to establish specific protocols for barge traffic under the Liberty Bridge to safeguard it from being hit," according to a press release.
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PennDOT District 11 Executive Dan Cessna said about 30 feet of steel framework beneath the span was damaged.
"It's a small, isolated area," said Cessna. "But it's a very serious issue because it's a buckled compression member, and on a deck truss like this, any member like this that could be compromised could cause a catastrophic failure. So, this is a serious issue that we're monitoring."
PennDOT says a final design and a timeline for repairs will be hopefully be complete on Sunday.