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Significant delays expected as Inbound Fort Pitt Tunnel closes this weekend

PITTSBURGH — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation officials have announced that the inbound (eastbound) Fort Pitt Tunnel on the Parkway West will close to traffic from Friday to Monday, weather permitting.

PennDOT officials said the tunnel will close at 10 p.m. Friday and remain closed around-the-clock through 6 a.m. Monday for tunnel ceiling removal work.

All traffic will be detoured and signs will be posted to guide motorists.

The posted detour will require eastbound traffic to form a single lane exiting at the North US 19/Route 51 West End (Exit 69C) ramp before the Fort Pitt Tunnel.

Posted Detour:

  • From eastbound I-376 (Parkway West) take the ramp to North US 19/Route 51 West End (Exit 69C)
  • Follow northbound Route 51 (Saw Mill Run Boulevard)
  • Exit towards Route 837
  • Stay in right lane to South Route 837/East I-376
  • Continue on southbound Route 837 (West Carson Street)
  • Take the ramp to East I-376/North I-279 onto the Fort Pitt Bridge
  • End detour

PennDOT reminds motorists to use all open lanes to the merge point. Please be courteous to other motorists and allow them to merge.

The effectiveness of traffic flow entering the detour route is highly dependent on driver behavior. Using all lanes and allowing a consistent, courteous merge will reduce congestion and delay and help traffic move through the detour.

If significant congestion and delays are occurring during the inbound closure, PennDOT suggests the following alternative:

  • From eastbound I-376 (Parkway West) take the Route 121 Greentree/Mt. Lebanon (Exit 67) ramp
  • Turn left onto northbound Route 121 (Greentree Road)
  • Greentree Road becomes Wabash Street
  • Turn right onto South Main Street (Lincoln Highway)/South Route 60
  • Use right lane to South Route 837/East I-376 towards Downtown
  • Continue on southbound Route 837 (West Carson Street)
  • Take the ramp to East I-376/North I-279 onto the Fort Pitt Bridge
  • End detour

The outbound (westbound) tunnel will remain open, although short-term traffic stoppages may occur for equipment access and material removal.

Eight full weekend closures requiring detours will occur during this project. The closures will be scheduled to minimize impacts on downtown events when possible.

Additionally, traffic restrictions will occur during off-peak hours and weekends. Overnight single-lane closures in each tunnel will begin in mid-February, 2015. There will also be a total of four weekend evening full closures.

The $14.17 million project includes the removal of the tunnel ceiling, relocation of CCTV cameras and temperature monitors, concrete repair work to the tunnel walls and air duct arch, waterline and standpipe improvements, electrical updates, drainage improvements, reroofing of a portion of the North Portal Building, milling and resurfacing of the bituminous roadway, pavement marking, and other miscellaneous construction.

To help keep motorists informed as work progresses, PennDOT has created an email distribution list for I-376 Parkway West traffic advisories and construction updates.

Enroll by sending email addresses to stcowan@pa.gov mailto:stcowan@pa.gov.  Please write "Subscribe - Parkway West" in the subject line.

WPXI

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