Parkway East Reopening: What To Know

PITTSBURGH, PA — Traffic headaches for 100,000 motorists daily triggered by the Parkway East Commercial Street Bridge project are about to end.

The new span and entire parkway are anticipated to reopen Monday evening. The specific time is expected to be announced at a news conference this afternoon attended by Gov. Josh Shapiro, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll, Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O'Connor and others.

The parkway closed in both directions between the Squirrel Hill T6unnel and the Edgewood/Swissvale exist on July 10. After initial prep work, PennDOT imploded the old bridge on July 16.

Workers used accelerated bridge construction techniques to move its replacement span, which was built adjacent to the old bridge in Frick Park, into place. The 22-million-pound bridge was moved 96 feet in seven hours on July 19, with the final six feet completed on July 20.

The parkway originally was expected to remain closed until August 3, but around -the-clock work permitted PennDOT to predict last week that the road would reopen early.

Because the $95 million project is being completed a week ahead of schedule, contractors will receive a $2 million bonus.