Pittsburgh's New Fern Hollow Bridge To Close

PITTSBURGH, PA — Six months after the rebuilt Fern Hollow Bridge opened, it will close again for four weeks beginning on Monday so crews can complete final milling, paving and painting work.

The new bridge has been limited to two lanes of traffic since its reopening after the former Fern Hollow span collapsed in January 2022, drawing national attention to the decaying state of the nation's bridges. When the new bridge reopens in July, Fern Hollow will have a four-lane capacity.

During the closure, contractors also will install a polyester polymer concrete overlay on the bridge deck that city officials said will preserve the longevity of the deck surface to reduce future maintenance and extend the life of the bridge.

While that work is being performed, traffic will be detoured via South Dallas, Penn and South Braddock avenues.

The city will implement numerous traffic pattern changes during the closure. They include:

• A new stop sign at the intersection of Beechwood Boulevard and Beacon Street, making the intersection an all-way stop.
• The installation of concrete jersey barriers along Forbes Avenue to protect the new two-way cycle track.
• A reduced speed limit on Forbes Avenue from South Dallas Avenue to Braddock Avenue.
• A speed table will be installed on Beechwood Boulevard in an attempt to slow traffic.