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Bridge collapses in Pittsburgh hours before Biden visits to promote infrastructure projects

A collapsed bridge along Forbes Avenue near Frick Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S., on Friday, Jan. 28, 2022.

Justin Merriman | Bloomberg | Getty Images

A bridge collapsed in Pittsburgh on Friday morning, hours before President Joe Biden was set to travel to the city to promote his legislative agenda — including the landmark infrastructure law he signed last year.

Pittsburgh Public Safety confirmed the collapse on Twitter before 7 a.m. ET, urging people to avoid the area around Forbes and Braddock Avenues near Frick Park. Three people have been hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, while authorities have been deployed to “ensure there are no victims under the collapsed bridge,” the city tweeted in an update later Friday morning.

The site of the collapse appears to be just a few miles from Carnegie Mellon University at Mill 19, where Biden was set to deliver remarks around 2 p.m.

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The president is set to focus on his administration’s progress on strengthening U.S. supply chains and boosting manufacturing levels. A key tool in those efforts is the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law, a top legislative achievement of Biden’s first year in office.

The package, which passed after years of failed efforts by former President Donald Trump and other presidents to forge a similar agreement, allocates $550 billion in new money for transportation, broadband and utilities projects.

It was unclear whether Biden planned to alter his prepared remarks in light of the bridge collapse.

Emergency vehicles are parked at the edge of a bridge that collapsed, Friday Jan. 28, 2022 in Pittsburgh’s East End.

Gene J. Puskar | AP

“The President has been told of the bridge collapse in Pittsburgh,” the White House told reporters. “Our team is in touch with state and local officials on the ground as they continue to gather information about the cause of the collapse. 

“The President is grateful to the first responders who rushed to assist the drivers who were on the bridge at the time,” the White House said. “The President will proceed with trip planned for today and will stay in touch with officials on the ground about additional assistance we can provide.”

Pennsylvania’s infrastructure was ranked the seventh-worst in the nation in 2021, according to U.S. News & World Report.

This is developing news. Please check back for updates.

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