Elizabeth Bridge closed indefinitely after crack discovered; detour announced

The Elizabeth Bridge spanning the Monongahela River was closed Thursday night and will be closed indefinitely, according to PennDOT.

The bridge, on Route 51 between Elizabeth and West Elizabeth, was slated to be shut down at about 10 p.m. Thursday.

PennDOT said the bridge was being closed because of a failed temporary structural support bracket.

“We hate to inconvenience anybody,” said Cheryl Moon-Sirianni, district executive of PennDOT District 11. “We feel it was in everyone’s safety to keep traffic off the bridge until we can make the repairs.”

PennDOT said it will be monitoring the bridge around-the-clock as repairs are made.

While traffic is being detoured, associated ramps at the bridge will remain open to traffic.

The posted detours:

Northbound Route 51

• From northbound Route 51 approaching the Elizabeth Bridge, take the ramp to Elizabeth/Glassport;

• Turn right onto North 3rd 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.

Southbound Route 51

• From southbound Route 51, take the ramp to North Route 837 toward Clairton;

• 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.