Vital Parkway East Bridge Replacement Project Looms

PITTSBURGH, PA — One of the region's most heavily traveled bridges and a critical connection between Pittsburgh and its eastern suburbs might needs to be demolished, and the project is expected to cause major traffic woes.

The deteriorating Parkway East (Interstate 376) bridge over Commercial Street and Frick Park, which has operated under weight restrictions for years will be torn down and replaced by a new span.

What that means for Parkway East motorists is short-term shoulder and lane closures, long-term shoulder closures, and the temporary full closure of the parkway, Commercial Street underneath it and the Nine Mile Run Trail in Frick Park.

PennDOT will hold a virtual public hearing on the project on July 21 at 5 p.m. A link to the meetingwill be provided on an agency website page detailing the scope of the work.

PennDOT plans to construct the new bridge on temporary foundations near the existing span using accelerated bridge construction techniques. The current bridge then will be razed and its replacement will be slid onto the existing highway alignment.

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