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Troy Hill bridge repairs complete, Rialto Street reopens

TUESDAY UPDATE: Repairs have been completed and the Lowrie Street Bridge, and Rialto Street has been reopened, the city announced.

The city of Pittsburgh closed one side of the Lowrie Street Bridge in Troy Hill last week after deficiencies were discovered, but neighbors want more information.

Nearby residents say the bridge was still open while inspections were being conducted, and that seemed unsafe.

Related: Pittsburgh closes street after bridge found with 'deficiencies'

“Safety first,” said Joe Lazewski, who has been watching city crews inspect the bridge since last week. “I don’t want anything happening to anybody who uses it.”

On Tuesday, city and PennDOT inspectors investigated the structural integrity of the bridge, which runs over Rialto Street, and removed loose concrete from beneath it and also treated the steel beams.

They say deficiencies were found last week on just one side of the bridge, where barricades were placed. Traffic can get by on the other side.

“We got fully loaded dump trucks, they're going across,” Lazewski said. “I'm just worried about the bridge ending up on Rialto.”

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Channel 11 took those concerns about the bridge staying open to traffic before the inspection was complete to the city.

A spokesman told Channel 11 the other side is safe for traffic. He said the bridge was closed briefly Tuesday for the inspection. Rialto, a popular street for motorists, is completely closed.

Related: Pittsburgh Traffic Alerts

“Right now, I gotta run to Oakland and it's three miles each way,” Lazewski said. “That turns a half hour trip into 40, 50 minutes.”

“It’s definitely an inconvenience, but if there's anything that needs done for the safety of everyone, then yeah, it needs to be taken care of,” said Troy Hill resident Sarah Hess.

If inspectors clear the bridge, Rialto could reopen Friday.

 

Cox Media Group

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