Bridge replacement project will close I-70 off-ramp in Rostraver

Work related to replacement of a bridge overpass will affect traffic on eastbound Interstate 70 in Rostraver beginning Monday.

The eastbound off-ramp is set to close at 8 p.m. at the Arnold City exit and will remain closed until 6 a.m. on the following Thursday, depending on weather conditions.

PennDOT officials said the closure is necessary as part of a nearby bridge replacement project. The span carries Fayette Street over the interstate in North Belle Vernon.

Each night during the same period, I-70 eastbound will be restricted to a single lane between the exits for Donora/Fayette City and Arnold City. Those restrictions will be in effect daily from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and will allow room for shoulder work along the interstate.

While the ramp is closed, motorists will be directed to continue east along I-70, using the Smithton exit to Fitz Henry Road, and then returning on the interstate to the westbound off-ramp at Arnold City.

The Fayette Street bridge is being replaced because of structural deficiencies, according to PennDOT.

It’s among more than 140 state-owned bridges in Westmoreland County that are rated in “poor” condition, with advanced “deterioration of primary structural elements.” The Fayette Street bridge has “poor” ratings for both its superstructure and substructure.

The new bridge will have a clearance of 16 feet, 6 inches above the interstate, up from the current 14 feet, 7 inches.

In related work, the nearby Rostraver Road bridge, which has been struck by vehicles multiple times, will be rehabilitated and similarly raised above the interstate — from a clearance of 13 feet, 9 inches to 14 feet, 8 inches.

The updated bridges will be constructed to allow for widening of lanes on the interstate.

Visit i-70projects.com for more information about the project, which has an estimated cost of up to $9 million.