Century III Mall has been a symbol of decline for over a decade, and now, it's not just the building crumbling but the boulevard around it.

Mall Boulevard, once a busy shortcut connecting drivers to Route 51 and nearby shopping plazas, is shut down.

An estimated 1,000 or more people drive on Century III Mall Boulevard every day, but on Monday, they were met with a "Road Closed" sign. 

KDKA-TV witnessed more than a dozen drivers turning around and that's something locals may have to get used to.

"You would think you were in a war-torn country by the way the potholes are," said driver Mike Silianoff. "You mentally remember where they're at so you can swerve through them and miss them, but you can tell when people don't know that. They drive through them and that's when the car damage happens."

That's just one reason the road is closing.

Attorney Steve Townsend, who represents the mall owners, confirmed the boulevard will be permanently closed. The decision follows a court hearing where it was ruled the road had become too much of a financial burden, a liability, and a safety hazard.

With the closure, drivers will have to use alternate routes.

"The most convenient way is to go further down [Route] 885 or 51 to Lewis Run Road or Lebanon Church Road," said West Mifflin Borough Manager Brian Kamauf. "It's going to add a lot of congestion and traffic to the shopping plaza at the top of the hill."

Because the mall and boulevard are privately owned, West Mifflin has no authority over the closure. But borough officials are warning that ongoing Route 51 construction, new county projects and work set for Lebanon Church Road could make traffic congestion even worse.

"Hopefully, at some point, we'll have a solution down there," said Kamauf. "But at this point, it looks like if that happens, we're going to have a little bit more of a mess before it gets better."

As for drivers, many say they saw it coming.

"It's been a mess for a while, so it's about time they close it," said Ray Immekus. "Maybe they'll fix it."

"I think they should've closed it a while ago," said Robert Williams. "I was saying they should've closed half of it off and maybe just fixed one side and used it going back and forth."

The future of Mall Boulevard remains uncertain, but for now, drivers should prepare for barriers and road closures.