PennDOT provides update on Commercial Street Bridge project
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — People who drive on the Commercial Street Bridge and travel on the road and trail below it received more information on PennDOT's complex project to replace the 73-year-old structure.
The Commercial Street Bridge, which sits over Commercial Street and Frick Park, carries 100,000 vehicles every day on the Parkway East to and from the Squirrel Hill Tunnel.
The $95 million project to replace the bridge started this summer. On Wednesday night, PennDOT answered some questions from the public on how it'll impact people's lives.
"Due to its age, deterioration is accelerating and recurring maintenance costs are getting prohibitive," said Nick Burdette, HDR's senior bridge engineer.
The new arched delta frame bridge will be built on temporary foundations next to the existing bridge. And once it's demolished, the new bridge will be slid into place.
Project managers and PennDOT said that's why the Parkway will fully close in July 2026 for three to four weeks. Commercial Street will be closed during the full closure and several months after to address clean-up and restoration.
"During the closure, it'll be removed using a combination of conventional and explosive demolition. And after debris is moved around the new foundations, it'll be slid into place," Burdette said.
"This will eliminate the need for four-plus years of long-term lane closures and restrictions on the Parkway. But there's still much to do before the bridge slide takes place. There will still be times where we'll have to restrict or close the Parkway to accomplish our work," said Jason Zang, district executive of PennDOT District 11.
Before that major July closure on the Parkway, there will be single-lane restrictions through 2026, several overnight full closures in 2025 and a weekend full closure in 2026.
Community members had questions for the project managers, including what to expect with detours, whether noise reduction is being considered and how demolition debris will be contained.
"Typically, when we blast, we do have wraps that go around the bridge to keep that material contained. We also make sure that it's properly charged so it doesn't have a truly explosive demolition. It'll pretty much fall to the ground," said Michelle Olszewski, senior project manager with Fay S&B USA Construction.
Officials said later this year, crews will relocate a section of Commercial Street and Nine Mile Trail.
"During the construction phase, a temporary protective trail cover will be in place where the trail passes under the new structure," Olszewski said.
She said most of the construction will be complete in 2027, as they'll have some work to do under the new bridge.
"We'll have some final grading around the new structure. We'll also reestablish the stream, install new stormwater management structures, and complete the new plantings of trees and grass," Olszewski said.
PennDOT will have another public meeting before the full closure in 2026.
Right now, the exit ramp off Parkway East in Churchill and Wilkinsburg is still closed. Officials said that work will finish at the end of this week.