PennDOT to spend $317M on infrastructure projects in Pittsburgh region

PennDOT said Tuesday it plans to spend $317 million on more than 90 infrastructure projects in Allegheny, Beaver and Lawrence counties this year, up slightly from last year.

PennDOT District 11 Executive Cheryl Moon-Sirianni said funding from the $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure package passed last year was critical in allowing the planned projects to move forward. Many projects had been put on hold in recent years because of a lack of funding, she said.

“These projects were on our needs list. The infrastructure law allows us to address our needs,” said Moon-Sirianni.

Last year, PennDOT’s District 11 spent $296 million on 89 projects, according to the agency.

This year’s planned work includes 67 projects to repair or replace bridges, paving along 388 miles of roadway and 41 landslide remediation projects.

Moon-Sirianni highlighted repair work that will be done on McKees Rocks Bridge and Boulevard of the Allies Bridge in Downtown Pittsburgh, saying those projects are especially important because the bridges are heavily used and provide vital connections to economic centers, hospitals and more.

“We weren’t sure some of these projects could hold out until 2025,” Moon-Sirianni said. “On Boulevard of the Allies, we were going to cut $8 million from that project, but the infrastructure law allowed us to avoid that.”

More than $138 million will be spent on bridge projects throughout District 11, which comes in the wake of the Fern Hollow Bridge collapse earlier this year in Pittsburgh. Moon-Sirianni said the Boulevard of the Allies Bridge project is one of the district’s most complicated ones and construction has to work around several Downtown events, including a potential playoff run for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Work on the bridge has already begun. The planned improvements include deck and drainage repairs, replacing bearings, painting and pavement marking upgrades. Motorists will encounter short-term lane closures, weekend lane restrictions and night and weekend closures of several ramps during the multi-year project.

Another upcoming bridge project in Downtown Pittsburgh includes preservation work on Smithfield Street Bridge. Expected to start in April and continue into the summer of 2024, the work will result in single-lane traffic restrictions and full closures of the bridge for two weekends during the project.

The McKees Rocks Bridge repairs will reduce traffic to one lane in each direction during construction, and include truck and turning-lane detours. The project is expected to be completed by early 2024.

In a statement, Gov. Tom Wolf asked motorists to be patient and drive safely in work zones. In 2020, 15 people were killed in crashes in Pennsylvania work zones, PennDOT said.

“Please be patient and slow down as our crews conduct essential improvements to our Pennsylvania roadways,” Wolf said.

Work planned in District 11 also features several big resurfacing projects, including ones on Route 19 in the North Hills and Cochran and Greentree roads in the South Hills.

Work on Route 28 also will continue this year and next, with accompanying lane restrictions and ramp closures.

In Beaver County, Moon-Sirianni highlighted the Freedom Road upgrade project that includes widening the road, creating new turning lanes and building a roundabout to ease congestion and improve safety between Beaver County’s busy Route 65 and Cranberry Township. The $21 million project began last year and is expected to be completed in the fall of 2024.

Moon-Sirianni said additional infrastructure funding could become available from the federal funding package.

Motorists looking for more information on upcoming construction and road restrictions can visit the PennDOT District 11 website.