If you count on the Parkway East, brace yourself: PennDOT is planning a full, round-the-clock shutdown of I-376 near the Squirrel Hill Tunnel from July 10 through August 3, so crews can demolish the old Commercial Street Bridge and slide a brand-new span into place. The agency says packing the work into roughly 25 days should avoid years of rolling lane restrictions.
The job uses Accelerated Bridge Construction, with crews assembling a new arched delta-frame bridge right next to the current one, then sliding it sideways into position over I-376, according to PennDOT. The project is part of a $95 million contract, and the overall replacement is scheduled to wrap up by summer 2027. Until then, drivers can expect overnight lane restrictions and occasional full closures through 2026 as work continues.
At a recent site update, PennDOT engineer John Myler told CBS Pittsburgh the finished structure "weighs over 22 million pounds" and that the contractor will be working under hour-by-hour incentives to finish early, with "millions of dollars" in penalties on the table if the job runs late. Myler also said drivers will notice a lane shift just outside the Squirrel Hill Tunnel as barrier and shoulder work is completed ahead of the slide. Those barrier upgrades are being pushed to finish before the NFL Draft weekend in late April, although he acknowledged that the schedule is not guaranteed.
Industry materials list a somewhat lower bridge weight. A project listing from Shikun USA puts the finished bridge at just over 19 million pounds, or about 9,000 tons, while local coverage from Union Progress describes the build in terms of millions of pounds of steel and thousands of cubic yards of concrete going into the span. Differences like that are common on large projects, since one estimate may reflect the bare structure and another may include additional elements and temporary supports.
How The Slide Will Work
The new arched delta-frame bridge is being assembled on temporary foundations in Frick Park and will be laterally slid into place using hydraulic jacks and specialized skidding equipment, a hallmark of Accelerated Bridge Construction. Heavy-lift specialist Mammoet and prime contractor Joseph B. Fay will handle the move, as reported by Construction Equipment Guide. Industry coverage explains that crews will lift, test, and gradually push the finished structure into alignment while demolition and debris removal proceed under tight safety protocols.
Detours And What Drivers Should Do
During the 25-day closure, PennDOT plans to route I-376 through traffic off at Wilkinsburg (Exit 78B), with drivers re-entering the Parkway closer to Oakland. Single-lane access will remain for local traffic heading to Squirrel Hill and Edgewood only. The agency is urging motorists to line up alternate routes, carpool when possible, shift work schedules, or lean on transit to get through the shutdown.
Detailed detour maps and alert sign-ups are available via PennDOT, and drivers can monitor real-time traffic conditions through 511PA while the closure is in effect.
Down below the bridge, neighbors and businesses can expect months of follow-up work even after the dramatic slide is over. Stream and trail restoration and new plantings are scheduled to continue into 2027, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Officials emphasize that the July 2026 slide will be the most intense disruption drivers see from this project, even if the clean-up and restoration linger long after the bridge is in place.
