A detour is in place while the Liberty Bridge is closed this week due to fire damage to a 30-foot-long steel beam that’s critical to the bridge’s stability.
Alternate routes:
▪ Posted detours encourage use of the Parkway West’s Banksville Road exit and Fort Pitt Bridge and Tunnel. Some motorists going between the South Hills and Downtown or Oakland may also opt for the Birmingham Bridge but it is also presently undergoing repairs that restrict lanes. Offf-duty police are stationed to assist traffic flow during the detours.
▪ The 10th Street Bridge also connects the South Side with the Golden Triangle.
▪ The Liberty Tunnel is open for inbound access to the South Side by McArdle Roadway. Outbound traffic on McArdle is also able to use the tunnel.
▪ Also, the Port Authority has added two additional two-car light-rail trains and a dozen additional buses throughout the week. They will be dispatched as needed.
Suggested detours from PennDOT:
▪ Northbound/inbound: Take Route 51 (Saw Mill Run Boulevard) northbound
Take exit to I-376 West/US 19 South toward Carnegie/Airport/West End
Take Exit 69A toward US 19 South/Banksville Road
Keep left and loop back to I-376 eastbound 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 signs, all other destinations take exit toward I-376 East/Monroeville; take the left exit 71A to Grant Street; turn left onto Grant Street.
▪ Southbound/outbound from Downtown: Take Grant Street to I-376
Take the ramp to West I-376 toward Fort Pitt Bridge/Airport
Follow I-376 westbound 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 US 19/Route 51 Uniontown
Merge onto southbound Route 51 and follow back to the Liberty Tunnel
▪ Southbound/outbound from Bigelow Boulevard: From Bigelow Blvvd., take the Consol Center/6th Avenue Exit
Take the 6th 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 I-376 westbound 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 US 19/Route 51 Uniontown
Merge onto southbound Route 51 and follow back to the Liberty Tunnel
▪ ▪ ▪
The Liberty Bridge, which is used by about 55,000 vehicles daily, is set to reopen next week if proper repairs can be made, according to PennDOT officials
PennDOT said errant sparks from a welder’s torch ignited plastic piping, which then lit afire a tarp draping the bridge during its two-year, $80 million renovation project.
Dan Cessna, PennDOT district executive for the Pittsburgh region, said department officials have been working since Friday with bridge contractor Joseph B. Fay Co., industry engineering consultants and academic experts from Carnegie Mellon and Lehigh universities to identify the best temporary repair that is both quick and safe to enable use of the bridge.
He said they developed a plan that involves installing a plate over the damaged section and creating a strut to allow installation of a new beam on both sides of the weakened chord. “We will ultimately be jacking the bridge to redistribute that load correctly back off of that damaged support,” Mr. Cessna said.
Officials will determine later if that technique will be sufficient for the long term or if a more permanent repair is needed.
Other traffic restrictions in the region:
Birmingham Bridge — Overnight, Intermittent, short-term traffic stoppages of 15 minutes or less southbound from Tuesday night through Sept. 18, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Crews from Joseph B. Fay Co. will replace the bridge deck.
Penn Avenue/Butler Street, Lawrenceville/Strip District — Restrictions between 31st Street and Butler Street on Penn in the Strip District and between Penn and 56th Street on Butler in Upper Lawrenceville, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays through late November; two lanes of traffic will be maintained during work hours, with the help of flaggers and officers.
Camp Horne Road, Emsworth — Closed for construction work, about a quarter-mile north of the Camp Horne Road and Ohio River Boulevard/Route 65 intersection, through mid-November. Crews are rebuilding a retaining wall. Traffic will be detoured using Mount Nebo Road, Interstate 79 and Ohio River Boulevard.
Route 22 on-ramp, North Fayette — Ten-day closure of westbound on-ramp from Kelso Road at the Noblestown interchange in North Fayette begins Sept. 6 for road improvements that include milling and resurfacing and concrete pavement rehabilitation. Ramp traffic will be detoured: Take ramp from Kelso Road to eastbound Route 22, off-ramp at the west 30/South 978 Imperial/Oakdale interchange, turn left onto westbound Route 30 toward Imperial, take ramp to westbound Route 22.
Andy Warhol Bridge — Closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic through November 2017 as part of $25.4 million rehabilitation project. The Rachel Carson Bridge (9th Street) will be used as a detour. The Roberto Clemente (6th Street) Bridge will still be closed before and after Pittsburgh Pirates home games.
The detour also will reroute about 350 Port Authority buses a day to Carson, according to the Port Authority. The detoured routes will be routes 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17 and the O5. The Carson Bridge is expected to be rehabbed in 2018 and the Clemente Bridge in 2020.
Wabash Tunnel — The HOV temporary waiver has been extended through December to allow vehicles with fewer than two occupants to use the tunnel during peak hours, alleviating possible congestion on other roads caused by the Liberty Bridge rehabilitation project. The Wabash Tunnel, which opened as a commuter tunnel in December 2004, provides a shortcut for motorists from Route 51 to the South Side and Downtown Pittsburgh.
Ferguson Road, McCandless/Shaler/Hampton — Single-lane alternating traffic will occur from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., weeknights between Duncan Avenue and Mount Royal Boulevard while crews make road improvements. Flaggers will assist motorists.
Strip District — Two adjacent portions of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail will be closed while the Buncher Co. cleans up the trail between 11th and 16th Streets, which is expected to take until November. From 18th to 21st streets, the trail will be closed until early next summer while NRP Group works on sanitation pipes for an apartment complex it is building there. Smallman Street is the recommended detour.
Noblestown Road, Collier — Bridge at Scotts Run Road closed through Oct. 17. Traffic will be detoured.
Stroschein Road, Monroeville -- Crews will work evening hours on the road through the end of September.
Route 28 ramp, East Ohio Street — The on-ramp that carries traffic from East Ohio Street to northbound Route 28 is closed around-the-clock through Nov. 9. The ramp will be reconstructed with a new deck and a wall will be repaired. Detours are posted: from East Ohio, turn onto Chestnut Street and cross the 16th Street Bridge, turn left onto Liberty Avenue, left onto 31st Street Bridge, right onto the ramp to northbound Route 28.
Blackburn Road, Sewickley Heights — Closed between Thawmont Drive and Country Club Road through mid-September. Detour route: Nevin Avenue and Waterworks Road.
Wildwood Road, Hampton — Closed between Roland Road/Trillium Trail and Grouse Run Road as crews conduct the first phase of slide remediation work. The second phase of work will close Wildwood Road between Roland Road/Trillium Trail and Sylvan Drive through November. Detours are posted. Crews are working around-the-clock on a $2.6 million project to secure two landslide areas.
Campbells Run Road, Carnegie — Closed for work on a landslide area at the intersection of Highland Avenue. Traffic will be detoured using the Parkway West, Rosslyn Road, and Baldwin Road. The project is scheduled to be completed by next spring.
Pine Creek Road, McCandless — Bridge that carries Pine Creek Road over Pine Creek in McCandless is closed through Sept. 13. Detours have been posted, taking traffic from Route 19 to West Ingomar Road, Highland Road and eventually back to Pine Creek Road. Crews from Carmen Paliotta Constructing and Frank J. Zottola Construction will perform the work at the intersection with Route 19/Perry Highway.
Route 978/Battle Ridge Road, South Fayette — Waterline replacement: single-lane alternating traffic from Fryes Lane to Dutch Hill Road weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Oct. 16. Flaggers will control traffic.
Steubenville Pike (Route 60), Robinson and Crafton — Single-lane traffic restrictions on Route 60 between the intersection of Noble Avenue/East Steuben Street and Lorish Road weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Steubenville Pike (Route 60), North Fayette — Single-lane alternating traffic weekdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. between Palomino Drive and McKee Road. Crews from Pennsylvania Drilling will drill borings through Aug. 31 for a future remediation project. Flaggers will control traffic.
East Pennview Street, Shaler — Closed for bridge replacement. Pine Creek Bridge No. 11, about a quarter mile west of the intersection of Pennview and Route 8, through spring 2017.
Piney Fork Road, Jefferson Hills/South Park — Closed through the end of August between Gil Hall Road and Snowden Road. Crews from Lone Pine Construction Inc. are building a railroad bridge for Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway over Piney Fork Road. Detours will be posted.
East Ohio Street, North Side — Long-term single-lane restrictions in each direction on East Ohio Street between Nash Street and Chestnut Street for roadway reconstruction and expansion dam work, through late September.
Route 885/Clairton Road, West Mifflin — Single-lane alternating traffic between College Drive and Ravensburg Boulevard from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Weekend work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. may occur. Flaggers will assist motorists through the work zone.
Fox Chapel Road — Closed between Guys Run Road and Delafield Road from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily for drainage repairs, milling, paving and guiderail improvements through October.
Venetia Bridge, Peters — The bridge is closed through mid-September so that it can be replaced. A detour is posted.
Rankin, Swissvale — Single-lane alternating traffic between Fifth Avenue in Rankin Borough and Woodstock Avenue in Swissvale for drilling work, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends, through Sept. 4.
O’Neil Boulevard, McKeesport — Closed as part of a slope stabilization project near Porter Street. Detour uses Eden Park Boulevard, Walnut Street, 30th Street and Patterson Street.
McLaughlin Run Road, Bridgeville and Upper St. Clair — There will be alternating single-lane traffic weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. while crews conduct road improvements on McLaughlin Run Road between Bower Hill Road and Washington Road (Route 19).
Cranberry — Overnight work on Freedom Road/ Valley Forge Road and Parkwood Road from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through summer.
Route 51/Route 201, Rostraver — Lane closures from around Vernon Drive in Rostraver to the Allegheny County line. The contractor, Golden Eagle Construction, is working on milling and base repairs.
Red Line, Beechview — Section of the Red Line of Port Authority light-rail system that runs through Beechview is closed as part of a T reconstruction project. The Port Authority is replacing rails embedded in Broadway Avenue between Potomac and Fallowfield avenues, which will affect about 12,000 commuters who use the Red Line to get to Downtown and other locations.
The Red Line will operate as normal from Fallowfield to Downtown and the North Shore. To accommodate passengers from other parts of Beechview and the South Hills, Port Authority has offered several options.
▪ In the construction zone, a free shuttle bus will run every 12 minutes during rush hours (6-9 a.m. and 4-6:30 p.m.) and every 30 minutes during other service hours.
▪ A free rail shuttle will run from Potomac to the Blue Line at Overbrook every 12 minutes in rush hours, every 20 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes in the evening.
▪ A temporary bus route, 42 Dormont, will run between the Mt. Lebanon station and Downtown via West Liberty Avenue during weekday rush hours.
The contractor hired for the project will work Monday through Saturday, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
First Published: September 6, 2016, 10:09 a.m.
