Pittsburgh City Council
Nine people hurt in the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse may share $445,000.
Written by Amy Whipple
More than four years after the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed in Jan. 2022, nine people who filed lawsuits against the city may soon receive settlements totaling $445,000.
Resolutions to approve the settlements were introduced at council’s general meeting on June 16. Individual settlements range from $40,000 to $90,000. If approved by council, the recipient of the largest payment would be Daryl Luciani, who was driving the county Port Authority bus that fell 100 feet into a ravine.
The bridge spans Fern Hollow in Frick Park, connecting Squirrel Hill to Point Breeze and Regent Square on Forbes Avenue; more than 14,000 vehicles cross it each day.
The lawsuits stated that the city had known for years about the 400-foot-long bridge’s deterioration. It had been listed on the federal National Bridge Inventory as being in poor condition since 2011.
Lawsuits were initially filed by 10 people. According to WTAE, council was advised not to comment on the tenth individual.
As a matter of routine, council discusses litigation settlements in closed executive sessions. The members typically do not bring additional information into the public general and committee meetings.
The legislation is scheduled to be revisited for a preliminary vote at next week’s committee meeting.
Connections to this story
- Topics:
- Infrastructure
- Governments:
- Pittsburgh City Council
- Public meetings:
- City Council · June 16, 2026
- Sources:
- Resolution 2026-0629 — authorizing the issuance of a warrant in favor of Thomas Bench and Sarah Bench and Swensen Perer & Engel Law Firm, for…Resolution 2026-0630 — authorizing the issuance of a warrant in favor of Joseph Engelmeier and Alpern Schubert P. C., for a single payment in…Resolution 2026-0631 — authorizing the issuance of a warrant in favor of Daryl and Karen Luciani and The Massa Law Group, P.C., for a single…Resolution 2026-0632 — authorizing the issuance of a warrant in favor of Anna Nichols and G. Clinton Kelley, her attorney, for a single…Resolution 2026-0633 — authorizing the issuance of a warrant in favor of Clinton and Irene Runco and Matzus Law, LLC, for a single payment in…Resolution 2026-0634 — authorizing the issuance of a warrant in favor of Tyrone Perry and Swenson Perer & Engel Law Firm, for a single payment…
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