Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing long-term ramp closures on the I-579 “Cap” Urban Connector project in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, will begin Saturday, January 4 weather permitting.

Long-term closures will occur from 5 a.m. Saturday morning, January 4 for 140 consecutive days through May 23 on the following ramps:

• Bedford Avenue ramp to southbound I-579

• 7th Avenue ramp to southbound I-579
  

Crews will begin the construction of the last pier and columns, relocate the drainage to each ramp and reconstruct the pavement. To allow this work to occur traffic will be detoured.

Posted Detours

Bedford Avenue Ramp to Southbound I-579 (To Boulevard of the Allies/Eastbound I-376 - Cars)

• From Bedford Avenue, take the ramp to 7th Avenue/Fort Pitt Bridge

• Turn left onto Grant Street

• Continue south on Grant Street

• Take the ramp East I-376 toward Monroeville

• End detour
  

Bedford Avenue Ramp to Southbound I-579 (To Boulevard of the Allies/Eastbound I-376 - Trucks)

• From Bedford Avenue, turn left onto Crawford Street

• Turn right onto Centre Avenue

• Turn right onto 6th Avenue

• Turn left onto Wood Street

• Turn left onto the Boulevard of the Allies

• Take the ramp to East 376 toward Monroeville

• End detour
  

Bedford Avenue Ramp to Southbound I-579 (To Liberty Bridge - Cars)

• From Bedford Avenue, take the ramp to 7th Avenue/Fort Pitt Bridge

• Turn left onto Grant Street

• Turn left onto 6th Avenue

• 6th Avenue becomes the Crosstown Boulevard

• Follow Crosstown Boulevard to the Liberty Bridge

• End detour
  

Bedford Avenue Ramp to Southbound I-579 (To Liberty Bridge - Trucks)

• From Bedford Avenue, turn left onto Crawford Street

• Turn right onto Centre Avenue

• Turn left onto 6th Avenue

• 6th Avenue becomes the Crosstown Boulevard

• Follow Crosstown Boulevard to the Liberty Bridge

• End detour
  

7th Avenue Ramp to Southbound I-579 (To Boulevard of the Allies/Eastbound I-376 – Cars)

• From 7th Avenue, take Grant Street southbound

• Continue southbound on Grant Street

• Take the ramp to East I-376 toward Monroeville

• End detour
  

7th Avenue Ramp to Southbound I-579 (To Boulevard of the Allies/Eastbound I-376 – Trucks)

• From 7th Avenue, take Grant Street southbound

• Turn right onto 6th Avenue

• Turn left onto Wood Street

• Turn left onto the Boulevard of the Allies

• Take the ramp to East 376 toward Monroeville

• End detour
  

7th Avenue Ramp to Southbound I-579 (To Liberty Bridge)

• From 7th Avenue, take Grant Street southbound

• Turn left onto 6th Avenue

• 6th Avenue becomes the Crosstown Boulevard

• Follow Crosstown Boulevard to the Liberty Bridge

• End detour
  

Additionally, in preparation for the Phase 5 construction, southbound I-579 will have a single-lane closure from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, January 4. Crews will relocate temporary barrier and conduct line striping operations.

The 700-day closure of the ramp from northbound I-579 to 7th Avenue will continue through August 6, 2022.

The work is part of the $29.34 million project which will consist of the construction of a structure spanning I-579 to link downtown Pittsburgh and the Hill District. In part, the Cap project will create a new three-acre greenspace which will include pedestrian pathways, bicycle routes, rain gardens for stormwater management, and design elements from neighborhood artists. Additional construction activities include retrofitting existing retaining walls and bridges to accommodate the new structure, roadway reconstruction, drainage improvements, traffic signals, highway lighting, ITS, and landscaping. The Joseph B. Fay Company is the prime contractor.

For additional details on the project including information on sustainability, funding, and public input please visit http://www.pgh-sea.com/LHR-i579cap.htm.

To help keep motorists informed as work progresses, PennDOT has created an email distribution list for I-579 Crosstown Boulevard traffic advisories and construction updates. Enroll by sending email addresses to ymanyisha@pa.gov. Please write “Subscribe – I-579 Cap Project” in the subject line.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 950 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

MEDIA CONTACT: Yasmeen Manyisha, 412-429-5044

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