Motorists who use Route 28 between Millvale and East Ohio Street, get ready to shift.
From 8:00 PM Friday through 8:00 AM, Sunday traffic will be limited to one lane in the southbound direction of Route 28 for work needed in order to shift traffic onto the new lane of Route 28 next to the newly-constructed walls near the hillside.
"It's an important weekend for the project, as this will allow us to begin construction of the new grade-separated interchange at the 31st Street Bridge and also construct the new lanes of Route 28 along the railroad tracks," said Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman Jim Struzzi.
Struzzi said there will still be two lanes going southbound and one lane headed northbound, but shifted away from the river toward the hillside.
"The main thing is you're going to have a single lane of southbound traffic this weekend," Struzzi said. "Whenever the shift is completed it will resume in the traffic pattern that it is now with two inbound lanes and one northbound, or outbound, lane open at all times during the peak periods."
Struzzi added this marks a significant milestone for the improvements of Route 28, and noted the changes to traffic patterns this weekend are slight.
"Motorists really shouldn't see that significant of a change, other than traveling in a new location on the new roadway," Struzzi said.
Reconstruction of the east side of Route 28 along the railroad tracks is part of the $36.4 million Phase IV improvement of the roadway. The project includes widening and reconstruction of Route 28 to create the 31st Bridge interchange, replacement of a section of the bridge, new median barriers, sidewalk and wall construction, and other improvements between the 40th Street Bridge and the Chestnut Street Overpass.
