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When the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed in Pittsburgh on the same day President Joe Biden was scheduled to visit the city to talk about the bipartisan infrastructure bill, it highlighted the need for repairs on bridge infrastructure across the country. According to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, one in three United States bridges is in need of repair or replacement.
The incident also shifted attention to other bridges in the area that are in "poor" or "serious" condition, prompting Pittsburgh officials to look at repairs, as well as consider creating an infrastructure commission to require regular reports on the city's infrastructure. Per the ARTBA, 13.8% of bridges in the state of Pennsylvania are classified as structurally deficient.
However, as the focus on infrastructure continues to be a critical component of bridge repairs and construction, projects are also being plagued by the ongoing supply chain crisis, inflation and a worker shortage. These various hurdles are causing contractors to make tough decisions based on available building materials, their budget and workforce. As a result, some of these projects have been scaled back...