Pittsburgh, PA – Today, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll, local officials, and Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) highlighted how the $95 million Interstate 376 Commercial Street Bridge in Allegheny County will be replaced in just 25 days, compared to the years of traffic impacts from a traditional interstate bridge replacement.
Using Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques, the new bridge will be slid onto the existing alignment of I-376 (Parkway East). This is one of the largest lateral slide projects ever performed in Pennsylvania.
I-376 will be closed in the area of the project from July 10 to August 3. During this time, the existing bridge will be demolished, debris will be cleared, and the newly built bridge will be slid into place. This will allow the bridge to reopen to traffic shortly after, with Commercial Street and Nine Mile Run Trail to follow. Travelers are encouraged to check the Commercial Street Bridge webpage for updates and sign up for Parkway East email alerts.
“We know that closing the interstate for nearly a month is an inconvenience,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Thanks to the remarkable method we’re using to make this massive structure safer and more reliable, folks only have to deal with this inconvenience for 24 days, compared to years of construction using traditional methods.”
The Commercial Street Bridge Replacement Project is located between the Edgewood/Swissvale (Exit 77) interchange and Squirrel Hill Tunnel in Swissvale Borough and the City of Pittsburgh. Approximately 100,000 vehicles a day travel I-376 over Commercial Street, on average. While the bridge is closed, PennDOT has outlined a local and interstate detour, as well as three alternate routes for the public to utilize. Each option can be found in the “Maps and Detours” section of the Commercial Street Bridge Replacement Project webpage.
“The public and the surrounding communities have done an amazing job at communicating and working together to make this project as successful as possible, and we want to sincerely thank them for their cooperation as we approach the next major milestone, the bridge closure,” said District 11 Executive Jason Zang. “Please, plan ahead for the closure. Know your detour; adjust your schedule; or even work from home when possible. Not everyone has the ability to alter their schedule or working location, however those who can, will help lighten the congestion on the road. If you anticipate being on the road, please be prepared and stay informed to make the temporary adjustment easier on yourself and others.”
During the closure, carpooling and utilizing public transportation are all encouraged to lessen the amount of congestion on the detour routes. PRT highlighted the Park and Ride locations for those who will use transit.
“Public transit offers commuters an opportunity to avoid some of the worst congestion,” said PRT Chief Executive Officer Katharine Kelleman. “Once our buses reach the East Busway, they're traveling in their own dedicated corridor instead of sitting in traffic. If you've never tried PRT for your daily commute, this is a great time to give it a try.”
Construction on the Commercial Street Bridge Replacement Project began in June 2024 with the reconstruction of the westbound I-376 off-ramp to Forest Hills/Wilkinsburg (Exit 78B). Previous work included temporary and permanent piers, abutments, and piles for temporary and permanent foundations, steel delivery and erection, and the continuation of phased ITS work. To reduce the impact on traffic, Commercial Street and the Nine Mile Run Trail below the interstate bridge were temporarily relocated while most of the work occurred. The overall project is anticipated to be completed in summer 2027.
Under Governor Shapiro’s Administration, 19,597 miles of roadway have been improved statewide, and work has advanced on 1,821 state and local bridges. PennDOT anticipates investing more than $380 million in the region spanning Allegheny, Beaver, and Lawrence counties. This investment includes improving over 1,200 miles of highways and working on 43 bridges.
Travelers are encouraged to check the Commercial Street Bridge webpage for updates and sign up for Parkway East email alerts.
Travelers can monitor traffic conditions on primary travel routes during the bridge closure as well as check conditions on major roads by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.
Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects. Subscribe to PennDOT news and find transportation results in Allegheny, Beaver, and Lawrence counties at www.pa.gov/DOTdistrict 11.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Yasmeen Manyisha, 412-429-5044 or ymanyisha@pa.gov
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