Two southbound through-lanes opened Wednesday on Route 28 at the Highland Park Bridge interchange, which now has uninterrupted traffic in both directions for the first time in more than two years.
The southbound side of the highway now has two through lanes as well as an exit lane to the bridge. The ramp from Virginia Avenue Extension onto Route 28 south near the bridge also reopened Wednesday.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation opened the same configuration on the northbound side last week. The $47.3 million project by Golden Triangle Construction Co. will allow motorists to drive from Pittsburgh’s North Side to Kittanning without stopping for a traffic light.
Crews will continue work through January to install signs, finish sound walls and seal bridge joints and barriers. There will be occasional off-peak traffic disruptions during that work.
In addition to installing the extra lanes on the highway, the project upgraded ramps to and from the bridge, improved a dangerous merge point onto the bridge for northbound motorists and installed a traffic light for motorists traveling across the bridge toward the highway.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.