PENNDOT Construction Closes Part of Forbes Avenue Leading to Pitt Campus from Downtown During Weekends Beginning January 4

University faculty, staff, students, and visitors should be aware of the temporary closure of the Boulevard of the Allies bridge that carries Route 885 over Forbes Avenue in Oakland, as well as several weekend closures of the stretch of Forbes Avenue from the Birmingham Bridge to Craft Avenue. The first weekend closure will occur at 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4, 2008, and will reopen at 6 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 7. Construction is expected to be completed in November 2008.

The following PENNDOT news release contains more information about the construction as well as alternate routes.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

District 11

45 Thoms Run Road

Bridgeville, PA 15017

H. Daniel Cessna, P.E., District Executive

Contact: Jim Struzzi, Press Officer

Office: (412) 429-5010

Email: jstruzzi@state.pa.us

Connie Parker, Community Relations Coordinator

Office: (412) 429-5011

Fax: 412- 429-5012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Traffic Alert:

BOULEVARD OF THE ALLIES BRIDGE CLOSES THURSDAY NIGHT JAN. 3

Forbes Avenue Weekend Closure Begins Friday Night

Pittsburgh, PA (01/02/2008)

PennDOT District 11 is reminding motorists that the Boulevard of the Allies Bridge that carries Route 885 over Forbes Avenue (Route 2108) in the Oakland area of the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, will close to traffic beginning at approximately 11 p.m. on Thursday night, Jan. 3, 2008.

The bridge will be removed and replaced with a new structure scheduled to open in November 2008. Signs will be posted to guide motorists around the closed bridge. In addition, several weekend closures will occur on Forbes Avenue from the Birmingham Bridge to Craft Avenue in January to allow the existing bridge to be removed. The first weekend closure will begin at 10 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 4. Forbes Avenue will remain closed around the clock until 6 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 7.

Key Dates:

o Jan. 3: At 11 p.m., the Boulevard of the Allies bridge closes to traffic.

o Jan. 4: Forbes Avenue will close at 10 p.m. Friday night for the weekend until 6 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 7, to allow demolition of the existing bridge to begin.

o Jan 12: No closures on Forbes Avenue (Pitt basketball home game)

o Jan. 19: Forbes Avenue closure again for the weekend (10 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday)

o February: Demolition work continues

o June: Erection of the new bridge begins

o April 27: Traffic on Forbes Avenue reduced to a single lane through August 24, 2008

o November: New Boulevard of the Allies Bridge opens to traffic

Detailed Detour Information:

From Downtown and I-579 (Crosstown Boulevard)

o DO NOT TAKE THE BOULEVARD OF THE ALLIES. Traffic will be directed through downtown via Grant Street and onto the Parkway East (I-376) eastbound (outbound) toward Monroeville. Once on the Parkway East take the Oakland exit (Exit 2B) onto Forbes Avenue.

From the North Side and North Hills (I-279 Parkway North, Route 28, Route 60)

o Traffic coming into Oakland from the north will be directed onto the Parkway East (I-376) via the Fort Duquesne bridge eastbound toward Monroeville. Once on the Parkway East, take the Oakland exit (Exit 2B) onto Forbes Avenue.

From the West/Airport (I-279 Parkway West, Fort Pitt Tunnels)

o Traffic on I-279 Parkway West traveling inbound through the Fort Pitt Tunnels and across the Fort Pitt Bridge will be directed onto the Parkway East (I-376) eastbound toward Monroeville. Once on the Parkway East, take the Oakland exit (Exit 2B) onto Forbes Avenue.

From the South Hills (Route 51 & West Liberty Avenue)

o Traffic from the South Hills crossing the Liberty Bridge will be directed to Forbes Avenue. Traffic can follow Forbes Avenue all the way to Oakland. (Note: See below for detour info during weekend closures of Forbes Avenue.)

From the East/Monroeville (I-376 Parkway East)

o Traffic from the east traveling on I-376 Parkway East westbound will be unchanged into Oakland. Take the Oakland exit at Bates Street interchange (Exit 3B).

From I-579/Boulevard of the Allies Southbound

o This is the longest detour for the project. Alternate routes if possible are suggested. All traffic approaching Oakland from the Boulevard of the Allies southbound will be directed onto the Parkway East (I-376) eastbound (outbound). The detour will direct traffic through the Squirrel Tunnels to the Edgewood Swissvale exit (Exit 7) onto South Braddock Avenue. The detour will then direct traffic back onto the Parkway East westbound (inbound) toward Downtown, through the Squirrel Hill Tunnels, to the Oakland exit at Bates Street interchange (Exit 3B).

South Side/Birmingham Bridge

o This route will not be detoured except during weekend closures of Forbes Avenue (see below). Traffic crossing the Birmingham Bridge will use the Oakland exit ramp to Forbes Avenue.

Forbes Avenue Weekend Closures

o For all weekend closures of Forbes Avenue, traffic approaching Oakland on state routes from cross town will be directed onto the Parkway East (I-736) eastbound (outbound) and directed to follow the detour as described above to the Edgewood Swissvale exit (Exit 7), back onto the Parkway East westbound (inbound) toward Downtown, through the Squirrel Hill Tunnels, to the Oakland exit at Bates Street interchange (Exit 3B).

o Traffic that is approaching Oakland on Forbes Avenue from Downtown will be directed onto Brady Street, then onto Second Avenue; from Second Avenue motorists will be directed onto Bates Street into Oakland.

o Traffic crossing the Birmingham Bridge toward Oakland will find the ramp to Forbes Avenue closed. Traffic will proceed to 5th Avenue to Seneca Street, then onto Forbes Avenue onto Brady Street, then onto Second Avenue; from Second Avenue motorists will be directed onto Bates Street into Oakland.

Motorists are advised to use caution, expect changing traffic patterns and allow extra time when traveling through the area.

The work is part of the $29 million project to replace the Route 885 Boulevard of the Allies Bridge that includes the demolition and reconstruction of the mainline bridge over Forbes Avenue, the replacement of south and north ramps with new roadway ramps and the elimination of the contra-flow traffic lane on Forbes Avenue. Construction is expected to be completed in late 2008. Currently, the project is 30% complete with the majority of drainage work completed this past summer and the new ramp from Fifth Avenue onto the Boulevard opening to traffic on Nov. 27, 2007.The prime contractor for the project is Joseph B. Fay of Russellton, PA.

For more info and virtual images of the project, visit www.otma-pgh.org. Visit www.dot.state.pa.us/district11 for more information on PennDOT District 11.