Pittsburgh Parkway Will Be Forced To Close

PITTSBURGH, PA — One of Pittsburgh's most heavily traveled roadways will close Thursday as a bridge replacement project continues. A longer closure looms.

The first of beam deliveries on a $95 million bridge replacement project will impact traffic on the Parkway East in Pittsburgh and Edgewood, PennDOT announced. The beam is intended to arrive onsite at the construction area.

The delivery will involve two large trucks traveling eastbound at the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and arriving at the tunnel plaza. At approximately 9 a.m., westbound traffic will stop for about 15 minutes near the tunnel entrance to allow the trucks to cross the lanes into the work area.

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

Motorists should expect delays and consider alternate routes.

One of the region's most heavily traveled bridges and a critical connection between Pittsburgh and its eastern suburbs, the deteriorating Commercial Street Bridge is located between the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and the parkway's Edgewood-Swissvale exit.

It carries more than 100,000 vehicles daily.

The bridge replacement project will utilize accelerated bridge construction techniques to laterally slide the new bridge onto the existing alignment of the span once construction is completed. It would be one of the largest lateral slide projects ever in Pennsylvania.

The project will result in a 25-day closure of the parkway next year.