Biden highlights infrastructure spending in Pittsburgh at site of collapsed bridge

Oct. 20 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden visited Pittsburgh on Thursday and made a speech at the site of a recent bridge collapse, highlighting the Democratic Party's spending on infrastructure ahead of the midterms.

Biden spoke at the site of the Fern Hollow bridge and touted the speed at which it is being rebuilt. The bridge collapsed on Jan. 28, just hours before Biden previously visited the site to highlight the need for more infrastructure spending.

"It's being done in record time. Normally, you'd be looking at two to five years to build a bridge like this," Biden said, adding the cost is $25 million and "fully paid for" by the federal government.

"I'm coming back to walk over this sucker," Biden said.

Thursday's visit is part of a push by the White House to highlight infrastructure spending before the 2022 midterm elections, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

"Federal infrastructure funding is helping states and cities with these projects all across the country," Biden said at an event near the White House on Wednesday.

Nine people in six vehicles were injured when the Fern Hollow bridge collapsed in January ahead of Biden's previous visit.

Acting Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt said first responders worked quickly to reach everyone on the bridge and evacuate them safely.They used ropes to rappel under the bridge to make sure no one was trapped, Jones said.

A Pittsburgh Post-Gazette investigation found the Fern Hollow Bridge had been on officials' radar for decades as a potential hazard. State inspectors' reports obtained by the paper show officials highlighted the dangers that the bridge's deterioration posed to the 14,000 cars that crossed its span daily.

Biden also touted other investments from the infrastructure bill, like increased access to internet service, which still eludes many people in Pennsylvania.

"Twenty-one percent of Pennsylvania families don't have home internet connections," Biden said. "Never again should a parent have to drive to a McDonald's parking lot and connect to their internet so that their kid can do their homework."

After his speech in Pittsburgh, Biden will fly to Philadelphia for a fundraiser for Senate Democratic candidate John Fetterman.