The City is immediately closing the Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge after new inspection reports.
The bridge runs along the Boulevard of the Allies and connects Squirrel Hill and Greenfield to Oakland and Downtown.
Mayor Ed Gainey's office said previous inspections did not indicate a need for closure, but the latest inspection had different results. It indicated the bridge needs repairs to be safe.
The bridge is now closed to traffic, but open to pedestrians and cyclists.
“I made a pledge to the residents of Pittsburgh that I will not hesitate to close a bridge for the safety of our citizens,” said Mayor Ed Gainey. “Inspection results have come back that tell us this bridge needs repair work to be safe for traffic. It’s because of the safety systems that we have put in place over the last year that we can act immediately, and proactively, to close this bridge—preventing another Fern Hollow.”
The city says repairs are expected to take at least four months and are projected to cost $1 to $2 million.
A full $48 million rehabilitation project was already planned for the bridge with construction slated for 2025.
The detours:
For eastbound/outbound vehicles: Boulevard of the Allies, right onto Bates Street, left onto Second Avenue, left onto Greenfield Avenue, left onto Ronald Street, right onto Alger Street, left onto Greenfield Bridge, to Greenfield Road, to Panther Hollow Road
For westbound/inbound vehicles: Panther Hollow Road, to Greenfield Road, to Greenfield Bridge, right onto Alger Street, left onto Winterburn Street, right onto Greenfield Avenue, right onto Second Avenue, right onto Bates Street