Long-Term Downtown Pittsburgh Ramp, Street Closures Loom

PITTSBURGH, PA - Long-term ramp and street closures in Downtown Pittsburgh are slated to begin this week in connection with construction of a "cap" over I-579 and Crosstown Boulevard where a new park will be built.

Beginning Sept. 6, the ramp from northbound I-579 to Seventh Avenue will be closed until August 2021. Crews will place concrete barriers at the ramp, southbound I-579 will be shifted into two 11-foot wide lanes, and line painting operations will occur through Saturday morning.

The official detour:

• From northbound I-579, take the PPG Arena/Centre Avenue off-ramp.

• Turn right onto Washington Place.

• Turn right onto 6th Avenue.

• Turn right onto Grant Street.

• Follow Grant Street back to 7th Avenue.

Beginning Sept. 9, the northbound lane of Chatham Street between Bigelow Boulevard and Centre Avenue will be closed until December. Traffic will be detoured along Centre Avenue to Sixth Avenue and then to Bigelow Boulevard-Webster Avenue. The southbound lane of Chatham Street will remain open.

The work is part of the $29.3 million cap project designed to link Downtown and the lower Hill District near the old Civic Arena site. The project will create a new three-acre greenspace that will include pedestrian pathways, bicycle routes, rain gardens for stormwater management, and design elements from neighborhood artists.