PennDOT Unveils Construction Projects

This year’s PennDOT construction work will include $282 million worth of road and bridge improvement projects that hit every corner of Allegheny County.

About half of the money being spent on road projects in the county will be spent on bridge reconstruction.

PennDOT District 11 Executive Dan Cessna said during a Friday morning press conference that the “most impactful” project in the Pittsburgh area will be reconstruction of the outbound lanes of the Squirrel Tunnels. That project is expected to cost close to $50 million and will include weekend closures beginning on March 22. There will also be various single-lane closures during nights to allow for work.

“You’re going to see a ton of work this summer.”

Construction also continues on the Liberty Tunnels to finish installing the smooth wall surface that will brighten the tubes and make them easier to be cleaned.

In addition, the portal will be reconfigured and restored to what it originally looked like in the early 1900s. There will be various detours this summer, including two separate 18-day detours in each direction in August that will route traffic around the tunnels.

“We’re anxious to get the tunnels put back together so they’re easy to clean,” Cessna said.

The work is part of the fourth phase of an extensive rehabilitation project, which is expected to be completed this year.

Locally in the South Hills, construction crews are going to work to add a sixth lane of traffic to the notoriously congested Gilkeson Road where it intersects with Route 19 in Mt. Lebanon. PennDOT hopes it will help ease the flow of traffic across Route 19 and onto Connor Road.

Work will also begin soon on repairing the Prestley Road bridge that carries cars over Chartiers Creek in Collier. There is also a plan to replace the smaller bridge on Scrubgrass Road in Scott Township.

Meanwhile, PennDOT announced it and the municipalities are finally moving forward with .

Click the PDF file above to view all of the construction projects planned for this year in Allegheny County.

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