$95 Million Pittsburgh Bridge Project To Cause Traffic Headaches This Week

PITTSBURGH, PA — Expect significant traffic delays on the Parkway East on Wednesday and Thursday as the Commercial Street Bridge replacement project proceeds.

PennDOT says new bridge beam deliveries will occur between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on both days.

Large trucks will travel on I-79, eastbound (inbound) I-376 (Parkway West), and eastbound (outbound) I-376 (Parkway East) and pull in the plaza outside the suburban side of Squirrel Hill Tunnel.

Westbound I-376 will have multiple intermittent traffic stoppages of approximately 15 minutes or less near the entrance of the Squirrel Hill tunnel to allow the trucks to cross the lanes into the work area. The arrival time is contingent depending on the travel distance, route traffic, and unforeseen obstacles. Motorists should expect delays.

Additional beam deliveries will occur at later dates. Details will be provided prior to the deliveries.

The $95 million Commercial Street Bridge replacement project will utilize accelerated bridge construction techniques to laterally slide the new bridge onto the existing alignment of the current span, located between the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and the Edgewood-Swissvale interchange.

What's going on this year? New sign structures, temporary and permanent piers, abutments, and piles for temporary and permanent foundations.

For the rest of the year, multiple overnight full closures and detours of the parkway, a full weekend closure and detour lanes in each direction, and 35 extended weeknight single-lane restrictions on eastbound will occur.

Next year, motorists can expect a 25-day full closure and detour of I-376. The overall project is anticipated to conclude in the summer of 2027.