Part of Saw Mill Run Boulevard/Route 51 in Pittsburgh closed for bridge removal

Part of Route 51/Saw Mill Run Boulevard in Pittsburgh will be closed for more than three weeks beginning Thursday so crews can remove a bridge above it.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said removing the bridge near Woodruff Street will require closing the highway between Crane Avenue and Woodruff through 5 a.m. Aug. 26. Contractor Charles J. Merlo Inc. will begin work at 9 p.m. Thursday, weather permitting.

PennDOT spokeswoman Yasmeen Manyisha said the bridge owned by Pittsburgh is open and safe, but it is too expensive to repair and the department wants to remove it before it becomes a danger to cars below it on the highway.

“The bridge is currently safe but to ensure the long-term safety of those using Route 51, the department has determined that the structure needs to be removed,” she said. “The bridge is beyond its useful life, and it is not fiscally feasible to rehabilitate the structure.”

In addition to removing the structure, the $3.1 million project will include modular block wall installation and widening a portion of Route 51.

The road closure should be done by Aug. 25, but some aspects of the project won’t be finished until fall.

The work will require extensive detours, including separate routes for cars and trucks.

Cars driving northbound on Route 51 should follow this detour:

• From northbound Route 51, take the ramp to I-579 toward Downtown/South Side.
• Turn right and continue through the Liberty Tunnel.
• Cross the Liberty Bridge and take the ramp to I-376 East toward Oakland/Monroeville/Boulevard of the Allies.
• Turn left onto the Boulevard of the Allies toward Downtown Pittsburgh.
• Turn left onto Stanwix Street.
• Take the ramp to I-376 West toward the Fort Pitt Bridge/Airport.
• From westbound I-376, cross the Fort Pitt Bridge and continue through the Fort Pitt Tunnel.
• Take the ramp to 19 South toward Banksville Road (Exit 69A).
• Continue toward Truck 19/51 South toward Uniontown.
• Bear left toward I-376 East/51 South.
• Merge onto Banksville Road.
• Take the ramp to Route 19/51 North toward the West End Circle (Exit 69C).

Cars driving south on Route 51 should:

• Take the ramp to I-376 West/19 South toward Carnegie/Pittsburgh International Airport.
• Bear left toward 19 South toward Banksville Road.
• Bear left toward I-376 East/51 South.
• Merge onto Banksville Road.
• Merge onto eastbound I-376 (Parkway West).
• Continue through the Fort Pitt Tunnel and across the Fort Pitt Bridge.
• Take the ramp to the Boulevard of the Allies/Liberty Avenue/PPG Arena (Exit 70A).
• Bear right onto the Boulevard of the Allies.
• Turn right to Route 19/51 toward the Liberty Bridge.
• Cross the Liberty Bridge and continue through the Liberty Tunnel.
• Take the ramp to 51 South toward Uniontown. 

For trucks headed north the detour is:

• Take the ramp to I-579 toward Downtown/South Side.
• Turn left onto Truck 19 South (West Liberty Avenue) toward Dormont.
• Turn right onto Bower Hill Road.
• Turn right onto Route 121 (Cochran Road).
• Bear right onto Greentree Road toward I-376/North 121.
• Take the ramp to I-376 East toward Pittsburgh.
• From eastbound I-376, take the ramp to Route 19/51 North toward the West End Circle (Exit 69C).

 Southbound trucks on Route 51 should:

• Take the ramp to I-376 West/19 South toward Carnegie/Pittsburgh International Airport.
• Stay right to I-376 West toward Carnegie/Airport.
• Merge onto westbound I-376 (Parkway West).
• Take the ramp to Route 121 toward Green Tree/Crafton (Exit 67).
• Bear right toward Route 121 South toward Green Tree.
• Follow Route 121 (Greentree Road) to Cochran Road.
• Turn left onto Cochran Road (Route 121).
• Turn left onto Bower Hill Road.
• Turn left onto Truck 19 North (West Liberty Avenue).
• Take the ramp to 51 South toward Uniontown.