Closures of I-70 west in Rostraver planned as emergency bridge repairs continue

Part of Interstate 70 in Rostraver will be closed two nights next week, as well as the following weekend, as crews continue emergency work to repair a bridge damaged by an over-height vehicle.

The westbound side of the highway will be closed from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday between the Route 51 exits — 46A and 46B, according to PennDOT officials. The same closure will start at 9 p.m. March 11 through 8 a.m. March 13. During that time, eastbound I-70 will be reduced to one lane.

Westbound drivers can exit I-70 onto Route 51 north and travel to the Route 201 exit. After a right turn, drivers should take a left side ramp onto Route 51 south and get back onto the interstate westbound at the interchange.

Emergency repairs got underway in early February after an over-height vehicle struck the bridge that carries Route 51 over I-70 in December. Crews from Amelie Construction are installing a temporary support beam on the bridge deck and repairing a bridge beam.

There have been lane closures since December in the interchange and, more recently, detours for traffic traveling in certain directions as the work got underway. All of the restrictions are weather-dependent.

Most of the work is expected to wrap up by late March. That section of Route 51 is traveled by about 15,000 to 17,000 motorists daily. I-70 in that area sees traffic of 32,000 to 44,000 vehicles daily, according to PennDOT.

The interchange is slated for improvements and reconstruction including wider roads, reconfigured intersections and better ramps to and from I-70, as well as the addition of a divergent diamond interchange. The multi-million dollar work includes the replacement of the Route 51 bridge that was damaged.

Construction is expected to start this year.