Parkway East will close in 1 month for Commercial Street Bridge replacement project
The closure of the Parkway East from the Squirrel Hill Tunnel to the Edgewood-Swissvale exit begins in one month.
On July 10 at 9 p.m., the Parkway East's Commercial Street Bridge will close for 25 days for a major replacement project. While the building and sliding of the bridge will be a construction marvel, the 25-day closure is something no one is looking forward to.
"We know it's going to be a challenge for our neighbors, our commuters, our business owners and everyone involved," Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition Executive Director Maria Cohen told KDKA-TV on Wednesday.
She said neighborhood groups like hers and Swisshelm Forward are trying to prepare people for the closure, including the traffic headaches. While some detours are set to direct people to the Pennsylvania Turnpike or Route 28, others will detour through Homestead, Swisshelm Park, Regent Square and Squirrel Hill streets.
"We already have some detours in Squirrel Hill and the surrounding areas, so I just feel like managing that is going to be one of the bigger challenges," Cohen said.
Of course, officials recommended that people should work from home if they can. While not everyone has that luxury, it will come down to planning and leaving early.
"So that you don't end up in a situation where you're hitting heavier traffic than expected and not able to figure out how to get out of it as quickly as you would like," Cohen said.
Neighborhood groups are asking people to remember that detours may take drivers through neighborhoods, so be aware of possible foot traffic. Also, in the next few weeks, PennDOT plans to send mailers to people in the eastern neighborhoods to prepare them for the closure. PennDOT said it is well aware that the closure will be a mess for drivers, but it is working to minimize the headaches.
As for when the current bridge will be demolished and the new bridge slid into place, PennDOT has that on the calendar, but until everything gets finalized, they are not making the date public.
