Short-term closures of the Elizabeth Bridge coming

By CHRISTINE HAINES
chaines@yourmvi.com
With the new month come new restrictions for the Elizabeth Bridge.
Short-term closures of the bridge will begin Dec. 3, weather permitting, according to PennDOT District 11 spokesman Steve Cowan. The bridge which carries Route 51 over the Monongahela River between Elizabeth and West Elizabeth is undergoing rehabilitation and the most recent element of that project is the replacement of support cables.
Short-term closures, which are expected to last no more than 45 minutes each, are scheduled to begin Dec. 3 at 9 a.m. Cowan said the work will be done during off-peak hours, no more than three days a week, Cowan said.
“If 9 a.m. doesn’t work, they will shoot for 1 p.m. so we can avoid peak hours,” Cowan said.
While each closure may be shorter than 45 minutes, motorists won’t be kept sitting, but will be sent on an 8-mile detour during the closures.
The posted detour utilizes the Clairton-Glassport Bridge, with northbound traffic first detoured onto the ramp to Elizabeth/Glassport. From there, motorists will be directed to:
• Turn right onto North Third Avenue
• North 3rd Avenue becomes McKeesport Road
• McKeesport Road becomes Lincoln Boulevard
• Lincoln Boulevard becomes Glassport-Elizabeth Road
• Turn left and cross the Clairton-Glassport Bridge
• Turn left onto southbound Route 837 (North State Street)
• Take the ramp toward Elizabeth/Pittsburgh
• Merge onto northbound Route 51 toward Pittsburgh
• End detour
Southbound traffic will be directed to take the ramp to North Route 837 toward Clairton, then:
• Follow Route 837 (State Street) northbound to the Clairton-Glassport Bridge
• Turn right and cross the bridge
• Turn right onto Glassport-Elizabeth Road
• Glassport-Elizabeth Road becomes Lincoln Boulevard
• Lincoln Boulevard becomes McKeesport Road
• McKeesport Road becomes North Second Avenue
• Turn left onto Market Street
• Follow straight onto the ramp back to southbound Route 51
• End detour

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