PITTSBURGH — Drivers in the Pittsburgh area are now facing a big change to their commutes.
At 10:17 p.m., PennDOT said the eastbound lanes of the Commercial Street Bridge had closed. At 10:55 p.m., they provided an update, saying the westbound lanes had also been closed.
Channel 11 has been tracking this project extensively. Here’s a look at everything you need to know.
What you need to know about the Commercial Street Bridge Replacement, upcoming Parkway East closure
A major project is about to shut down the Parkway East for nearly a month.
While construction on the Commercial Street Bridge has been ongoing for a while, now that a closure of a major highway is imminent, WPXI is answering the questions you may have.
What is the Commercial Street Bridge Replacement?
The project will replace the aging Commercial Street Bridge, which PennDOT calls a critical link on I-376 that sees about 100,000 vehicles daily.
Crews are using Accelerated Bridge Construction with a lateral slide-in method to replace the bridge. PennDOT says this allows most work to be done off-site, ultimately significantly reducing traffic impacts from four years to around a month.
How long will the Parkway East be closed?
The Parkway East between the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and Exit 77 is expected to be closed for 25 days, from July 10 through Aug. 3.
Traffic must exit at Wilkinsburg (Exit 78B) and Forbes Ave/Oakland (Exit 72A). There will be a single lane to Squirrel Hill/Edgewood for local traffic only.
Unforeseen issues may lead these dates to change.
But there’s a monetary incentive for completing the work early, and there are disincentives if it runs past 25 days.
‘We’ll all get through this’: Drivers prepare for Parkway East closure that will impact thousands
Final preparations were underway Friday afternoon as crews planned to close the Parkway East near the Commercial Street Bridge for 25 days.
It’s a day that a lot of people have been dreading, but they told Channel 11 they’ll plan to make it work. We spoke with drivers trying to figure out the best ways to navigate this closure, as some of the city’s biggest employers try to make it easier for their workers.
“It has to be done, so what are you going to do about it?” said Jim Serafin of North Huntingdon. He is planning to go to the Pittsburgh Pirates game and concert on Saturday.
“Right now, we’re trying to figure out what route we’re going to take, so we’ll see. We dealt with this years ago when the Parkway was closed totally,” Serafin said. “Thank goodness for GPS.”
Swissvale residents face parking restrictions amid Parkway East closure woes
Michelle Cox has lived in Swissvale for 40 years. She says neighbors who live along Charleston Street were already preparing themselves for the Commercial Street Bridge closure and now they’re going to have to deal with temporary parking restrictions.
Cox said, “This is busy at nighttime. Thank god I have a garage.”
Swissvale officials posted about the parking restrictions, saying that they are necessary to help emergency responders get through traffic while the Commercial Street bridge is closed. They say emergency responders need the extra space, especially with an expected uptick in traffic.
These temporary parking restrictions went into place today and will continue around the clock until August 3rd.
The impacted areas are:
- Roslyn Street – East side between Bruce Way and Noble Street (7536 – 7546)
- Noble Street – North side between Roslyn Street and 2115 Noble Street (First three spaces)
- Charleston Street – Both sides between Milton Street and South Braddock Avenue
Past projects comparable to the Parkway East closure
‘Ready to go’: PennDOT official speaks about upcoming Parkway East closure
“We’re ready to go. We’ve been planning this for a long time. We did the test run. We couldn’t be more ready. The only thing that could cause us to have to make some adjustments is the weather,” Zang said.
The main detour for highway traffic will be between the Wilkinsburg and Oakland exits using Ardmore Boulevard, Penn Avenue, Fifth Avenue and the Boulevard of the Allies for inbound drivers, and Forbes Avenue and Bellefield for outbound drivers.
Several additional detours for local traffic and drivers coming from outlying areas will be marked. The local detour will push additional traffic onto the Rankin Bridge and Homestead Grays Bridge.
Keep in mind, it typically takes drivers two to three days to figure out which alternate route works best for them.
If you are taking the main detour, which takes you through Oakland, be aware that UPMC Presbyterian expansion work and the PRT University Line project will create additional lane restrictions. This could cause lengthy delays on Fifth Avenue and the Blvd of the Allies.
Pennsylvania launches specialized website to help drivers navigate Parkway East closure
The Shapiro Administration has launched a specialized 511PA website to assist travelers navigating the Parkway East closure in Pittsburgh.
PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll emphasized the significance of the project and encouraged travelers to use the new resource.
“This project puts Pennsylvania on the map for innovative, accelerated construction. While the closure is short-term, the benefits will last for generations,” Carroll said. “We encourage all travelers to use 511PA for real-time updates and detour times so they can move through the area efficiently.”
The new webpage features links to traffic maps displaying travel times for primary routes around the City of Pittsburgh. It also includes helpful links and travel tips designed to assist with navigating the closure. Users can access real-time information on incidents, construction, traffic cameras, traffic speeds and message board displays directly on the maps.
Travelers utilizing the “My Routes” option on the 511PA website will find a list of special points of interest when selecting their starting point or destination. This feature is designed to simplify the process of finding the best route around the closure.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit offers advice for travel during Commercial Street Bridge Replacement
PennDOT’s project to replace the aging Commercial Street Bridge will shut down the Parkway East for nearly a month, and Pittsburgh Regional Transit is offering advice on how to get around.
The Parkway East (I-376) will close in both directions between the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and the Edgewood/Swissvale interchange from July 10 through Aug. 3
According to PRT, PennDOT expects the project to cause major congestion and encourages drivers to use public transit instead.
Drivers can park at one of PRT’s free park and ride lots and take a bus on the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway to get past most of the traffic, officials say.
The East Busway is a dedicated bus-only roadway that bypasses traffic, connecting eastern Allegheny County and Downtown Pittsburgh.
Safety advocate shares tips for bikers as Parkway East adds more cars to some neighborhoods
As the Parkway East closure directs more traffic to neighborhoods, streets that have a high number of bicyclists will also see a lot more cars.
Safety advocates say riders and drivers need to pay close attention.
“Having all of the traffic detoured onto the local streets is going to make a big difference in the neighborhood. Streets are always busy and there’s a lot of people using them. Recommendations would be to try to avoid peak times if possible, use public transit,” Thomas Wagner with South Side Smart Streets said.
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