Motorists heading from the Liberty Bridge to the North Hills this week will find themselves taking a short detour.
PennDOT will close the ramp connecting the Liberty Bridge to northbound I-579 (Crosstown Boulevard) starting at 9:00am Monday Oct. 28 to work on the retaining wall leading up to Duquesne University. The ramp will reopen at 5:00pm and then will be closed each day from 9:00am to 5:00pm through Friday.
Crews will apply a protective acrylic coating to wall.
“For the past several months we have been doing extensive work on that wall,” said Steve Cowen, PennDOT Dist. 11 spokesperson. “We have completed a drainage system above the wall and we have put a waterproof coating [on the wall.]”
The work is part of the $36 million Crosstown Boulevard/Veterans Bridge Preservation Project, which included deck and structure repairs, lane markings and signage improvements, and bearing replacements.
The posted detour follows the same route used during other ramp closers:
- Continue inbound past the closed ramp
- Turn right onto Forbes Avenue
- Make left onto Chatam Square/Washington Place
- Follow Washington Place to Bigelow Boulevard
- Turn right onto Bigelow Boulevard
- Take ramp from Bigelow Boulevard to northbound I-579
- End detour
The work must be done during the day according to Cowen because the material needs the warmer temperatures to be properly applied. All of the work is weather permitting.
Cowen said this will be the last work on the retaining wall and the entire project is to be completed later this year.
