UPDATE: Saw Mill Run Boulevard bridge shift likely caused by water infiltration + freezing temps
The Port Authority of Allegheny County says a shift in a portion of the Saw Mill Run Boulevard bridge discovered Feb. 4 was likely caused by a combination of water infiltration and freezing temperatures. In an update published on its website, the Port Authority said its engineers and consultants determined “water that penetrated a portion of the concrete support structure of the Saw Mill Run Boulevard Bridge and expanded when temperatures plummeted below freezing is likely what caused the span to shift several inches.”
Transit operations on the bridge, which hosts seven Port Authority bus and Red Line trains, was suspended and detoured when the shift was discovered. An employee noticed a joint on the deck of the bridge appeared to have expanded. The Port Authority is working with third-party contractors on repairing the bridge and says a timeline for repairs is expected next week. The Port Authority will keep the bridge closed, but reiterates it is stable.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
