Motorists who use the I-376 Carnegie Interchange Ramps will soon have to kiss that exit goodbye until December. Starting Monday at 10 p.m. PennDOT will close the exit to begin work on three structurally deficient bridges.
“Overnight when they do the closure there will be …impacts on traffic, but after the interchange is completely closed and all lanes of traffic are restored we’ll actually improve traffic flow in that area,” said PennDOT District Executive Dan Cessna.
Traffic delays are only expected to affect those who intended to use the Carnegie Interchange.
The bridges will be given new decks, and two of them will be widened. Cessna says this will help the bridges last another 50 years.
During the eight months that the Carnegie on and off ramps are closed PennDOT will also work on the shoulders, and the median barrier, other bridge work along the corridor, and milling and repaving the route.
“Throughout the summer season and even as we end winter and begin spring, the entire construction season we’re going to have intermittent closures, restrictions on weekends, [and] nights,” said Cessna.
This is all part of a $73 million dollar project along I-376 from I-79 through the Fort Pitt Tunnels. The eleven year old pavement will all be milled and resurfaced. This project has been in the works for five years.
