“It’s because of the safety systems that we have put in place over the last year that we can act immediately, and proactively, to close this bridge - preventing another Fern Hollow,” the mayor said. He also commissioned a comprehensive bridge report, which showed dozens of spans needed repairs. In the wake of the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse, Gainey launched a bridge asset management program designed to ensure that the 147 city-owned bridges were properly maintained. The span had raised concerns among some residents who traveled across it, especially after another bridge in the city’s Frick Park collapsed last January. PennDOT records list the bridge as being in poor condition and show it was weight-restricted, with a 32-ton limit for single vehicles and a combined weight limit on the bridge of 40 tons. The 780-foot-long bridge opened in 1938 and is used by an average of more than 21,000 vehicles a day. The Junction Hollow Trail, which is below the bridge, also will remain open. The bridge, located in Schenley Park, will remain open to pedestrians and bicyclists. “Inspection results have come back that tell us this bridge needs repair work to be safe for traffic.” “I made a pledge to the residents of Pittsburgh that I will not hesitate to close a bridge for the safety of our citizens,” Mayor Ed Gainey said. Motorists may also consider taking the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Monroeville to the I-79 interchange in Cranberry (Exit 77) and following I-79 south to the Parkway North (I-279) to Pittsburgh.Pittsburgh officials closed the city’s Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge to vehicular traffic Wednesday afternoon because of safety concerns. To avoid lengthy delays on the posted detour, PennDOT also suggests taking the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Monroeville to the Harmar Interchange (Exit 48) and using southbound Route 28 to access downtown. The city and its partners have a seven week window in which two weekend closures are permitted to take place, not counting the Christmas to New Year’s closure in December 2015. The magnitude and tight schedule for the Greenfield Bridge reconstruction project require weekend closures. The City of Pittsburgh has made every attempt to minimize the impact of this closure on planned city events in Downtown, the North Shore and elsewhere. Full details on the Greenfield Bridge closure and Reconstruction Project can be found here. This work must be done in advance of preparing the bridge for implosion. Crews will be removing the concrete slabs that make up the road surface of the bridge that passes over the closed portions of I-376. The closures are necessary to allow Mosites to perform deconstruction work on the Greenfield Bridge. The closures will be administered by Mosites, the contractor that is overseeing the Greenfield Bridge reconstruction project. Motorists should expect significant delays on posted detour routes. Police officers will be on site at critical intersections on the posted detour routes to assist with traffic flow and ensure safety for all roadway users. A map of the westbound detours and closures can be found here. Motorists in Downtown Pittsburgh will be able to access I-376 westbound at Grant Street (71A). Motorists traveling westbound out of Oakland on the Boulevard of the Allies will be able to access I-376 westbound at the Boulevard of the Allies entrance ramp. Hill/Homestead on-ramps to I-376 inbound will be closed. Local traffic traveling westbound will be able to use the Edgewood/Swissvale Exit 77 off-ramp. All truck traffic must follow the posted detour that begins at Exit 78B. Inbound traffic coming from the east will be directed to the posted detour starting at Exit 78B. The westbound (inbound) detour will begin at Wilkinsburg Exit 78B. A map of the eastbound closures and detours can be found here. All outbound traffic will be directed to the posted detour starting at Exit 72A. The eastbound (outbound) closures will begin at Oakland (Exit 72A). The next weekend closure of I-376 East will take place Friday, Dec. The Parkway East closures have been postponed one week. The city and contractor are confident that delaying the Parkway East closure one week will not disrupt the planned deconstruction and demolition schedule of the Greenfield Bridge. Both the city and contractor feel that it is in the best interest of the community to keep the Parkway East open while PennDOT is conducting a Parkway West weekend closure. This decision was made by the City of Pittsburgh after extensive conversations with Mosites Heavy Construction. The City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Works, in conjunction with PennDOT and Mosites Heavy Construction, has postponed the I-376 East (Parkway East) closures originally scheduled for December 4-6.Īll inbound and outbound lanes of the Parkway East will be open this weekend.
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