How Collaboration and Teamwork Accelerated the Fern Hollow Bridge Replacement

Within days of the Jan. 28, 2022, collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, HDR had been invited to design the replacement structure. Less than 11 months later, the new bridge opened to traffic.

The design and construction of this four-lane, 460-foot bridge in a third of the normal time is a testament to the expertise and collaborative spirit of the team behind it.

Senior project manager Jason Fuller spoke with World Highways magazine about the emergency project and how the team worked together to quickly deliver a new bridge for the community. Fuller, who has led HDR’s work on the bridge, discussed challenges of the fast-paced project and the design decisions that expedited work.

Also speaking with the magazine was Cheryl Moon-Sirianni, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s district executive for the Pittsburgh region. She praised the teamwork between agencies, HDR and contractor Swank Construction that has made the project successful.

“This design could not have happened had there not been trust between HDR, Swank, PennDOT and the City,” Moon-Sirianni said. “That allowed us to expedite the project.”

Read the whole article, "A Record Bridge Replacement," in the January/February 2023 issue of World Highways.