News

Liberty Bridge reopens with weight restriction

PITTSBURGH — The Liberty Bridge, which had been closed since a fire on Sept. 2, reopened Monday afternoon with a 9-ton weight limit imposed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Standard cars, SUVs, pickup trucks and ambulances weigh less than the posted weight limit. However, buses and most commercial trucks weigh significantly more than 9 tons and are prohibited from accessing the bridge until further notice. Once the project is complete in 2018, officials anticipate that the bridge will have a 40-ton weight limit.

How much does your vehicle weigh? Get an idea here. 

“Although the repair is temporary, this is a massive repair that gives us plenty of capacity to give confidence to the public that the bridge is safe to open,” PennDOT District 11 executive Dan Cessna said during a news conference on Monday.

In the weeks since the fire, which was sparked by a blowtorch being used by workers refurbishing the bridge, crews have worked to make necessary repairs. Included in the efforts was the lifting of a new beam onto the span, jacking the bridge and repairing a compression chord.

Temporary repairs to realign the damage lower chord are complete, PennDOT said, but more work needs to be done. Crews will continue repairs on weekdays and weekends, shutting the bridge down, if needed, only on the weekends. Plans for a permanent fix are still being worked out, officials said.

“That’s going to include additional steel plates and angles,” Cessna said. “That is currently being designated and will be installed very shortly to allow us to put the posting back to 30 tons.”

Three lanes of traffic will be open on the bridge during peak travel times, and two lanes will be maintained overnight. The traffic patterns are as follow:

  • Two inbound (northbound) lanes and one outbound (southbound) lane will be maintained from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. each weekday.
  • Two outbound (southbound) lanes and one inbound (northbound) lane will be maintained from 2 to 8 p.m. each weekday.
  • A single lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. each weeknight.

The damage to the bridge was so significant that officials said the span was close to giving way.

More than 50,000 drivers who typically use the bridge each day were forced to find alternate routes during the bridge’s closure. Cessna thanked drivers for their patience during the lengthy repairs.

Officials will have stationary checkpoints and roving patrols near both ends of the bridge. The penalties for exceeding maximum weight limits on the bridge can be in excess of $10,000.

Vehicles that weigh more than the posted weight limit must use the following detours:

Northbound (inbound)

Take northbound Route 51 (Saw Mill Run Boulevard)

Take the exit to I-376 West/U.S. 19 South toward Carnegie/Airport/West End

Take Exit 69A toward U.S. 19 South/Banksville Road

Keep left and loop back eastbound to I-376 toward Fort Pitt Tunnel

Follow eastbound I-376 through Fort Pitt Tunnel and across the Fort Pitt Bridge

For access to I-279 destinations, follow I-279 signage; all other destinations take exit toward I-376 East/Monroeville

Take the left exit 71A to Grant Street

Turn left onto Grant Street

End detour

Southbound (outbound) from downtown Pittsburgh

Take Grant Street to I-376

Take the ramp to West I-376 toward Fort Pitt Bridge/Airport

Follow westbound I-376 across the Fort Pitt Bridge and through the Fort Pitt Tunnel

Take Exit 69A toward South 19 Banksville Road

Keep left and loop back to eastbound I-376

Take Exit 69B toward South Truck U.S. 19/Route 51 Uniontown

Merge onto southbound Route 51 and follow back to the Liberty Tunnel

End detour

Southbound (outbound) from westbound Route 885 (Boulevard of the Allies)

From the Boulevard of the Allies, take the ramp to North I-579 to I-279 Veterans Bridge Exit

Take the Convention Center/Seventh Avenue Exit

Turn right onto Grant Street

Turn left onto 11th Street

Continue straight onto the 10th Street Bypass

Take the I-376 West Fort Pitt Bridge/Airport Exit

Follow westbound I-376 across the Fort Pitt Bridge and through the Fort Pitt Tunnel

Take Exit 69A toward South 19 Banksville Road

Keep left and loop back to eastbound I-376

Take Exit 69B toward South Truck U.S. 19/Route 51 Uniontown

Merge onto southbound Route 51 and follow back to the Liberty Tunnel

End detour

Southbound (outbound) from Route 380 (Bigelow Boulevard)

From PA 380, take the Consol Center/Sixth Avenue Exit

Take the Sixth Avenue Exit

Turn right onto Grant Street

Turn left onto 11th Street

Continue straight onto the 10th Street Bypass

Take the I-376 West Fort Pitt Bridge/Airport Exit

Follow westbound I-376 across the Fort Pitt Bridge and through the Fort Pitt Tunnel

Take Exit 69A toward South 19 Banksville Road

Keep left and loop back to eastbound I-376

Take Exit 69B toward South Truck U.S. 19/Route 51 Uniontown

Merge onto southbound Route 51 and follow back to the Liberty Tunnel

End detour

Southbound (outbound) from I-279 Parkway North

From southbound I-279, take the I-279 South Fort Pitt Bridge Exit

Take the South I-279/To I-376 Fort Pitt Bridge/Airport Exit

Take the West I-376 Fort Pitt Bridge Exit

Follow westbound I-376 across the Fort Pitt Bridge and through the Fort Pitt Tunnel

Take Exit 69A toward South 19 Banksville Road

Keep left and loop back to eastbound I-376

Take Exit 69B toward South Truck U.S. 19/Route 51 Uniontown

Merge onto southbound Route 51 and follow back to the Liberty Tunnel

End detour

To help keep motorists informed as work progresses, PennDOT has created an email distribution list for Liberty Bridge traffic advisories and construction updates. Enroll by sending email addresses to stcowan@pa.gov. Write “Subscribe – Liberty Bridge” in the subject line.  Additional project information including driving simulations for each traffic configuration and detour route maps, can be found at

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