PennDOT crews will start preparatory work Thursday, October 1, on a $14.34 million project to fix the flood-prone stretch of Parkway East known as the “Bathtub,” with long-term ramp closures and lane restrictions following just two days later. The project targets the low-lying section of I-376 between the Grant Street interchange and the Fort Pitt Bridge in Downtown Pittsburgh, an area that has flooded and shut down traffic repeatedly for decades.
The project was announced by PennDOT, according to WPXI, which reports that flooding events in the corridor typically divert around 43,000 vehicles at a time and require crews to pump out water and clear mud and debris before the roadway can reopen. The Bathtub was built in the 1950s, when the City of Pittsburgh asked PennDOT to construct westbound lanes connecting Parkway East to the Fort Pitt Bridge through a low-lying area below Fort Pitt Boulevard, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Why the Roadway Keeps Flooding
The roadway sits only about 5 feet above the Monongahela River's normal 16-foot water level. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that PennDOT raised the floodwalls by six feet in 1985 and that the highway fills after river waters reach 25 feet. The area has flooded almost 20 times since the 1985 improvements, the outlet reported.
Flooding has repeatedly shut down westbound I-376 through the Bathtub, with crews pumping out water and clearing mud and debris before the roadway can reopen.
What Changes Starting This Week
Preparatory work begins Thursday, with short-term mobile single-lane restrictions on westbound I-376 between the North Route 885/Oakland interchange and the Fort Pitt Bridge scheduled from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on October 1 and October 2, WPXI reports. Crews will use that window to install traffic control signage ahead of the bigger changes.
The long-term restrictions kick in Saturday, October 3, and will remain in place around the clock through August 2027. The Grant Street on-ramp to westbound I-376 will close to traffic, though the westbound left-hand off-ramp to Grant Street will stay open. The westbound left-hand off-ramp to Stanwix Street will also close, while the Stanwix Street on-ramp onto westbound I-376 will remain open, according to the same report.
Westbound I-376 will also see a long-term left-hand lane closure between the shuttered Grant Street on-ramp and the Stanwix Street on-ramp, and the right-hand exit lane to the Fort Duquesne Bridge will be shortened so two lanes of through-traffic can continue to the Fort Pitt Bridge. No lane restrictions are anticipated on eastbound Parkway East as part of this project.
Detours Drivers Will Need
Drivers headed from Grant Street onto westbound I-376 will need to turn right onto Fort Pitt Boulevard, continue to Stanwix Street, then turn left toward the westbound I-376 ramp. Those trying to reach Stanwix Street from westbound I-376 should take the left-hand off-ramp to Grant Street, turn left onto Fort Pitt Boulevard, and continue to Stanwix Street, per the detour instructions outlined by WPXI.
Engineering Fixes Beneath the Surface
The work involves reconstructing and raising 1,150 feet of existing floodwall along westbound I-376 and an on-ramp. Engineers have also specified micropiles to strengthen the roadway’s existing structural foundation, according to PennDOT.
The project also calls for full pavement replacement, along with repairs and upgrades to the existing pump and piping systems that drain stormwater from the corridor. The Post-Gazette notes that the plan additionally includes gates designed to prevent motorists from entering flooded sections during high-water emergencies, addressing a hazard that has previously required emergency rescues of stranded drivers.
Federal Funding and What's Still Ahead
The project includes $6.7 million in additional federal funds announced in mid-April 2024, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
While the ramp closures and lane restrictions beginning next week will stretch through August 2027, WPXI reports the most disruptive phase is still to come: a 12-day full closure and detour of westbound I-376 during the 2027 construction season. That shutdown will allow crews to fully reconstruct the concrete driving surface. Project work is scheduled to conclude in fall 2027.
The Bathtub project adds to a string of major infrastructure work along the Parkway East corridor. Hoodline previously reported on prep work for the $58 million overhaul of the 124-year-old Panhandle Bridge, and covered a stretch of Parkway East closures tied to the Commercial Street Bridge replacement earlier this year.
