Sewickley Bridge to close for 24 days

Long-anticipated work on the Sewickley Bridge is scheduled to begin Friday, resulting in a 24-day closure.

About 20,000 commuters daily cross the bridge, which spans the Ohio River from Moon Township to Sewickley Borough. In an effort to minimize the impact on traffic, the bridge will close from 7 a.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Aug. 10.

According to PennDOT, the closure will eliminate the need for additional weekend closures.

“Additionally, the 24-day closure will save as many as six days of closures, allow businesses, residents and commuters to schedule around a one-time closure that won’t be impacted by weather and other factors, and will help to keep motorists and workers safer by eliminating multiple traffic control set-ups,” read a PennDOT news release.

PennDOT representatives held a public meeting in August to answer questions about renovations to the bridge, which was built in 1981. Crews will conduct milling and latex placement on the bridge deck, expansion dam replacement, approach reconstruction, paving operations and additional construction-related activities on the $3.69 million project.

The planned detours are:

From Sewickley

• Motorists will take Route 65 southbound

• Take the left-hand ramp to I-79 toward Erie/Washington

• Take the left-hand ramp to South I-79 toward Washington

• Merge onto southbound I-79 and cross the Neville Island Bridge

• Take the Neville Island To Route 51 (Exit 65) off-ramp

• Turn left onto Grand Avenue

• Cross the Coraopolis Bridge

• Turn right onto northbound Route 51 (Fourth Avenue)

• Follow northbound Route 51 back to the Sewickley Bridge.

From Moon Township

• Motorists will take Route 51 southbound

• Take the ramp to northbound I-79 toward Erie

• Merge onto northbound I-79 and cross the Neville Island Bridge

• Take the ramp to Route 65 toward Emsworth/Sewickley (Exit 66)

• Continue following the ramp to Route 65 toward Emsworth/Sewickley

• Take the ramp to North 65 toward Sewickley

• Merge onto northbound Route 65 and follow back to the Sewickley Bridge.

Once the 24-day closure ends, bridge preservation work will continue. There will be single-lane alternating traffic weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. through late November. No additional weekend work will occur.

PennDOT created an email distribution list for Sewickley Bridge traffic advisories and construction updates. Enroll by sending email addresses to stcowan@pa.gov. Write “Subscribe – Sewickley Bridge” in the subject line.