Pittsburgh sinkhole that swallowed bus to be filled soon

Pittsburgh’s infamous, bus-swallowing sinkhole is about to fade into history.

Pittsburgh City Council has approved an agreement with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority to split the estimated $536,000 cost of repairing the giant sinkhole that opened at 10th Street and Penn Avenue Downtown on Oct. 28.

A Port Authority of Allegheny County bus waiting to cross Penn Avenue and a car immediately behind the bus fell partially into the hole when the street collapsed. No one was injured.

Extensive repairs to utility lines and the coronavirus pandemic delayed a permanent fix of the street, according to Tim McNulty, spokesman for Mayor Bill Peduto.

“They expect it to be filled in the next few days,” McNulty said. “It’s sort of depending on the weather.”

The mishap made news across the country and became the butt of jokes locally and on social media. People created Halloween costumes and Christmas decorations of the bus and sinkhole.

The hole was about 100 feet long and 20 feet deep. The rear of the 14-ton bus fell into the hole and it required a 300-ton crane to remove it. It cost Pittsburgh $88,150 to hire the crane.

Officials said water washed away soil supporting the street, but have never determined the exact cause.

McNulty said PWSA would oversee the repair project. He said the work requires the removal of gravel dumped into the hole to protect utility lines and new gravel better suited to support concrete street pavement.