PENNSYLVANIA — In a recent ceremony, Governor Josh Shapiro honored a group of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) employees with the Governor’s Awards for Excellence. This recognition comes in light of their remarkable efforts to rebuild the Fern Hollow Bridge in under a year following its collapse, thereby restoring an essential link between communities in Pittsburgh.
The awardees are all based in District 11, PennDOT’s Pittsburgh regional office:
- Michele Mara Acitelli, Senior Civil Engineer Manager
- Robert Byrnes, Senior Civil Engineer Supervisor
- Zachary Kamnikar, Civil Engineer Manager
- Brian Rampulla, Structure Control Engineer
- Douglas Seeley, Assistant District 11 Executive, Design
- Shane Szalankiewicz, Senior Civil Engineer Manager
- Michael Szurley, Senior Project Manager
- Douglas Thompson, Senior Civil Engineer Manager
- Mark Young, Environmental Planning Manager
- Jason Zang, District 11 Executive
“I’m incredibly proud that PennDOT and the project team have been recognized with this award,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Rebuilding the Fern Hollow Bridge in record time was the direct result of incredible collaboration and is a testament to what is possible when everyone is committed to taking action and finding solutions.”
The Fern Hollow Bridge, which carries Forbes Avenue over Frick Park, Fern Hollow Creek, and Tranquil Trail, collapsed on the morning of January 28, 2022. The reason behind the collapse is still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Following the collapse, then-Governor Tom Wolf and Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey issued Declaration of Disaster Emergency Proclamations. These proclamations allowed the City of Pittsburgh, the bridge’s owner, to enter into a legal agreement for PennDOT to oversee the design and construction of the new Fern Hollow Bridge. They also enabled PennDOT and the Federal Highway Administration to contract with Swank Construction Company and HDR Inc. for the removal of the collapsed structure and the design and construction of the new bridge. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), signed by President Biden in November 2021, facilitated PennDOT’s swift allocation of $25.3 million in federal funds to the project without affecting other critical regional needs.
Through collaboration with the City of Pittsburgh and PennDOT’s innovative approach to the standard design process, multiple design phases took place simultaneously. This included foundation, substructure, superstructure, utility relocation, environmental, and aesthetic aspects of the project. As a result, project delivery was expedited by several years. The bridge reopened to traffic on December 22, 2022, less than a year after the collapse.
The Governor’s Awards for Excellence acknowledge outstanding job performance or service reflecting initiative, leadership, innovation, and increased efficiency. The PennDOT team was among 54 employees from eight state agencies honored by Governor Shapiro at the ceremony for exceptional accomplishments in 2022.
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