Detours Announced For Upcoming Parkway East Closure

PITTSBURGH, PA - It might not be on your mind yet as you’re rushing around trying to get those last-minute Christmas gifts, but PennDOT will ensure it’s impossible to rush around town next week. The agency will close the inbound Parkway East between the Boulevard of the Allies off-ramp and Grant Street on-ramp from Dec. 26 at 6 a.m. through Dec. 30 at 10 a.m.

During the closure, crews will perform road reconstruction work between the Allegheny County Jail and the Grant Street interchange. No work will occur in the Parkway East outbound lanes.

During the closure, all inbound traffic will have to exit the Parkway East at the Boulevard of the Allies exit.

All traffic will be detoured as follows:

Cars
From westbound (inbound) I-376, take the Boulevard of the Allies/Liberty Bridge (Exit 72B) off-ramp

• Take the ramp toward the Veterans Bridge (North 579 to 279).
• Take the left-hand exit to Convention Center/7th Avenue.
• From 7th Avenue, turn left onto Grant Street.
• Follow Grant Street back to the westbound I-376 on-ramp toward the Fort Pitt Bridge/Airport.
• End detour.

Trucks

• From westbound (inbound) I-376, take the Boulevard of the Allies/Liberty Bridge (Exit 72B) off-ramp.
• Take the ramp toward the Liberty Bridge (to Routes 19/51).
• Continue across the Liberty Bridge and through the Liberty Tunnel.
• Turn right onto North 51/Truck 19 toward the West End.
• Take the left-hand exit to Carnegie/Airport (West 376 and South 19).
• For motorists continuing westbound on I-376, take the ramp to Carnegie-Airport (West 376).
• For motorists heading back into downtown Pittsburgh, bear left towards Uniontown (South Truck 19/51).
• Merge onto eastbound (inbound) I-376 Parkway West and follow through the Fort Pitt Tunnel.
• End detour.

Additionally, the following ramps will close to traffic:

• The Boulevard of the Allies on-ramp to westbound (inbound) I-376
• The westbound (inbound) I-376 Second Avenue (Exit 71B) off-ramp
• The westbound (inbound) I-376 Grant Street (Exit 71A) off-ramp

Motorists should consider alternate routes and allow extra travel time during this closure.

To avoid potential lengthy delays on the detour routes, PennDOT suggests taking the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Monroeville to the Allegheny Valley (Exit 48 – New Kensington/Pittsburgh) interchange and following southbound Route 28 to downtown Pittsburgh.

Travelers may also consider taking the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Monroeville to the Cranberry (Exit 28 – Pittsburgh/Erie) interchange. Motorists heading into Pittsburgh can follow southbound I-79 to southbound I-279 (Parkway North). Motorists heading to the Pittsburgh International Airport or points west of Pittsburgh can follow southbound I-79 to I-376 (Parkway West).

Motorists familiar with the area should consider exiting at the Wilkinsburg (Exit 78B), Edgewood/Swissvale (Exit 77), Squirrel Hill/Homestead (Exit 74), or the Oakland/Glenwood (Exits 73A-B) interchanges to avoid the detour route.

Image via Shutterstock.

Subscribe to Pittsburgh Patch for more local news and real-time alerts.