Preparatory work with southbound I-279 lane restrictions start Friday Night
PennDOT is announcing the implementation of a new traffic configuration from southbound I-279 (Parkway North) to southbound I-579 in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County will begin Sunday morning, July 13 weather permitting.
The new traffic configuration is anticipated to be implemented at 10 a.m. Sunday and motorists will see the following:
- Southbound I-279 traffic to southbound I-579 will be crossed over into the I-279 HOV lanes approximately 500 feet south of the Swindell Bridge. The crossover into the I-279 HOV lanes will be made from the left-hand lanes of southbound I-279.
- Crossed over traffic will continue from the I-279 HOV lanes into the I-579 HOV lanes.
- Once on the Veterans Bridge, traffic from the southbound I-579 HOV lanes will be crossed back over into the southbound I-579 lanes.
- Two 11-foot lanes will be maintained in this new configuration.
Additional traffic restrictions include:
- The southbound Route 28 ramp to southbound I-579 (Ramp G) will be closed to traffic.
- The currently open ramp from southbound I-279 to southbound I-579 will be closed to traffic.
- All access to HOV entrances and exits from southbound I-279, the Perrysville Park and Ride, McKnight Road, Anderson Street, Mazeroski Way, and Bedford Avenue are currently closed and will remain closed to traffic.
- Access to the southbound I-279 HOV lanes south of the split to the I-579 HOV lanes will be prohibited.
Posted Detour
Southbound Route 28 ramp to southbound I-579
- From southbound Route 28, take the East Ohio Street (Exit 1B) off-ramp
- From East Ohio Street, turn right onto Madison Avenue
- Madison Avenue becomes East Street
- Follow East Street to Venture Avenue
- Turn right onto the ramp to southbound I-279 toward Downtown
- From southbound I-279, take the crossed over lanes to southbound I-579
- End detour
Additional related information:
- At least two lanes will be maintained on mainline I-279 in the southbound direction.
- Northbound I-579 will remain in its current configuration.
- Repairs on northbound I-579 piers will begin once the southbound work is completed. Details will be provided in advance of the phase change.
In preparation for the new traffic configuration the following restrictions will occur this weekend:
- Southbound I-279 will be reduced to a single-lane of traffic from 9 p.m. Friday night to 10 a.m. Saturday morning between the Swindell Bridge and East Ohio Street.
- Southbound I-279 will reopen to two-lanes from 10 a.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Saturday.
- Southbound I-279 will again be reduced to a single-lane of traffic from 6 p.m. Saturday night until the crossover is implemented at approximately 10 a.m. Sunday morning.
Crews from Swank Construction will conduct repair work to bridges on I-579. The long-term repair work follows previous inspection activities where the department found significant deterioration on several piers on I-579 and the I-579 HOV lanes. Out of an abundance of caution, traffic was shifted on mainline I-579 and completely removed from the I-579 HOV lanes while analysis was conducted. The department performed hands-on inspections of 35 piers in this location. The project team has been in constant communication to safely and efficiently develop and implement repairs while minimizing the impacts to motorists. The repair plan makes necessary long-term repairs while maintaining as much traffic flow as possible.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways 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 1,000 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.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Allegheny, Beaver, Lawrence counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District11.
Information about infrastructure in District 11, including completed work and significant projects, is available at www.penndot.pa.gov/D11Results. Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.projects.penndot.gov.