PITTSBURGH, Aug. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- PennDOT officials announced that the
ramp from Interstate 376 to the Fort Duquesne Bridge will close at 12 a.m.,
August 14.
Access to the Fort Duquesne Bridge from the Parkway East, Commonwealth
Place and Fort Pitt Boulevard will be closed. The Fort Pitt Bridge and Tunnel
will remain open throughout this phase of work.
"This closing means the project has reached the home stretch for this
year," PennDOT district engineer Ray Hack said. "We just got one step closer
to the November 17th, Light up Night deadline and a year's breather in 2001 as
we gear up for the bridge deck replacement and tunnel renovations in 2002 and
2003."
State Department of Transportation officials again are informing motorists
of alternate routes to help them to avoid traffic delays.
The main detour of this phase of construction is Route 51 via the West End
Bridge. However, motorists coming from I-376 or the east suburbs will follow
alternate routes to Downtown or points north.
Traffic on I-376 west-bound to Interstate 279, Route 19 North or Route 65
North will cross the Fort Pitt Bridge to the West Carson Street (Route 837
North) exit and follow West Carson Street to the West End Bridge. From the
bridge, motorists will take the right lane and exit at the Chateau
Street/Western Avenue/Steuben Street exit. This exit also leads to the
Carnegie Science Center, Three Rivers Stadium, Route 65 North, Route 51, Route
19 and Route 60.
West-bound traffic on I-376 heading to Three Rivers Stadium will travel to
the Boulevard of the Allies, onto Route 579 North and take Seventh Avenue for
access to the Seventh and Ninth Street Bridges.
The detours will allow contractor Brayman Construction Corporation to
reconstruct the ramps from the Fort Pitt Bridge over Point State Park to the
Fort Duquesne Bridge, Fort Duquesne Boulevard and the Tenth Street Bypass
ramp. The project is a $13.8 million investment in Western Pennsylvania's
busiest highway system. The ramps will reopen to traffic no later than
November 17.
"Work on the bridge is ahead of schedule, and we hope to shave more time
from the November deadline," PennDOT spokesman Dick Skrinjar said. "An early
completion of the work could save commuters thousands of dollars in time and
wear on their cars."
The 40-year-old Fort Pitt Bridge and Tunnel, which is Western
Pennsylvania's most heavily traveled roadway carrying 148,000 vehicles per
day, is in need of a complete deck and roadway replacement. To minimize the
impact on commerce and commuting, the project is scheduled to be completed in
phases through 2003.
The Fort Pitt Bridge and Fort Pitt Tunnels will remain open to traffic
through 2001.
Local media will update motorists regularly, and PennDOT will continue to
update its website, http://www.epenndot.com, to help commuters avoid traffic
congestion. Motorists also may call 1-877-450-4279 for information about the
project.
SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Transportation - District 11
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Related links:
http://www.epenndot.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/682850.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 682850
CONTACT:
Dick Skrinjar of PennDOT, 412-429-5010
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