The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation permanently closed the Millers Run Road Bridge in South Fayette Friday after inspectors found a separated support beam on the 18-foot span.
PennDOT bridge engineer Steve Szalankiewicz said the bridge had been rated in poor condition and a recent inspection showed conditions had gotten worse. The steel bridge, built in 1930, had previously been inspected in October 2020.
“We saw a drastic change from the earlier inspection,” Szalankiewicz said. “There had been deterioration, but this was much worse.
“We considered posting a weight limit, but we decided against that,” he added. “Always safety first. When you have a full section loss like that, you can’t take any chances.”
The bridge goes across Dolphin Run near the intersection of Millers Run and Battle Ridge roads. It carries about 3,900 vehicles a day.
Szalankiewicz said the bridge was already under consideration for replacement, but he had no estimate on how long that might take.
For traffic west of the bridge, the posted detour takes motorists on Millers Run Road to westbound Route 50 and left on Millers Run Road to Route 978. The detour is reversed for eastbound traffic.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.