City of Pittsburgh reopens street one year after Port Authority bus falls into sink hole

75756A5E-120A-4932-810C-2FD980DB785E

Nearly one year after a Port Authority of Allegheny County bus fell into a giant sinkhole that opened up on a downtown street, the City of Pittsburgh has reopened the street to traffic.

In October of 2019, the hole opened up on 10th street while a bus was on 10th Street, causing it to fall backwards into the hole.

At first officials thought 10th Street might be closed two weeks, but it took nearly a year to do all of the utility projects.

Bus in sinkhole
Photo credit Joe DeStio
Sinkhole in 10th Street in downtown Pittsburgh
Photo credit Pittsburgh Public Safety

The bus did not fall completely to the bottom of the hole, but rather ended up resting on underground power lines.

Mayor Peduto's Chief of Staff, Dan Gilman, says the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA), Duquesne Light, Peoples Gas, Verizon, Comcast and Pittsburgh Allegheny County (PAC) Thermal all suffered damage.

"But the most work in terms of time and dollars was what PAC had to do in their tunnel. There was extreme done to the underground thermal tunnel that run under 10th Street.

In January, it was learned that the cost to remove the bus from the hole was roughly $88,000.

The cost of repairs is still being added up. PWSA spent over a million dollars. The City spent $400,000.

"People saw the hole and I think naturally assumed it was 'just fill it with rock, concrete it over,' but the underground duct work that had to be done by the utilities and by PAC was substantial," said Gilman.

Pulling bus out of sinkhole
Photo credit Pittsburgh Public Safety
Pulling bus out of sinkhole
Photo credit Pittsburgh Public Safety

In July of this year, repairs to the road were completed and the street was paved.

The bus image resulted in Halloween costumes, cookie designs, Christmas ornaments and internet memes.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Joe DeStio