Construction and Other Updates

Please follow the link below to view the designs for the Boulevard of the Allies Bridge Project on the OTMA website:

Boulevard of the Allies Bridge Project

Birmingham Bridge Closure:

PENNDOT PROVIDES BIRMINGHAM BRIDGE UPDATE

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is advising the traveling public that the State Route 2085 Birmingham Bridge will remain fully closed for approximately two weeks through late February 2008.

The continued closure is necessary to allow crews to repair the southbound bridge span and pier (Pier 10) that shifted on Friday, Feb. 8, 2008 and conduct a thorough re-inspection of the complete structure. Crews have been working around the clock to install temporary jacks and shoring in the areas where the shift occurred on the north side of the structure along the Monongahela River. PennDOT’s contractor, Trumbull Corporation of West Mifflin, is erecting shoring towers on both sides of the shifted southbound pier. Once the towers are constructed, they will be used to support the weight of the bridge allowing the shifted southbound span to be moved back into its correct location. As a precaution, temporary jacks are also being installed under the northbound span in this area.

Bridge inspection efforts are progressing well, but have been hampered by high winds, which for safety reasons, do not allow use of the inspection crane. No additional concerns have been found and PennDOT officials believe the problem is localized at the pier that shifted Friday. The cause of the shift has not been identified.    

The Birmingham Bridge was closed to traffic Friday morning, Feb. 8, after the superstructure on the southbound lanes shifted downward as a result of rotation of the rocker bearings. Under normal circumstances, rocker bearings allow the bridge beams to expand and contract with changing temperatures. After further inspection that morning, it was determined the bridge pier had moved as well. The cause of the span and pier movement is not known at this time. No visible safety concerns were evident on the northbound lanes of the bridge which were closed as a precaution.

The Birmingham Bridge was opened to traffic in 1976 and carries nearly 23,000 vehicles per day. The bridge is 2,747 feet long consisting of 19 spans. The design of the main span over the Monongahela River is a steel-tied arch and the approach spans are steel, multi-girder structures. The bridge was last inspected in July 2006. At that time, the inspection revealed no reasons to classify the bridge as structurally deficient.  

Signs have been posted to guide motorists around the closed structure. The suggested detour is:

Outbound

• From Fifth Avenue take Moultrie Street to Forbes Avenue
• Make right onto Brady Street
• From Brady Street, make right onto Second Avenue
• Continue on Second Avenue to the 10th Street Bridge
• Take 10th Street Bridge to East Carson Street

Inbound

• Follow same detour in opposite direction        

Port Authority Bus Rerouting:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BUSES DETOURED DUE TO BIRMINGHAM BRIDGE CLOSURE

          Pittsburgh, PA – Several bus routes that travel through Oakland and the South Side are being detoured as the result of the closure of the Birmingham Bridge.

          Concerns raised during a routine maintenance inspection conducted by PennDOT led to the span’s closure this morning. Southbound lanes of the bridge were shut down at approximately 5:30 a.m. Following a subsequent inspection, crews decided to close the entire span shortly after 8:30 a.m.

          Routes using the bridge that are now operating on detour routing include 51E Camp Hollow, 54C North Side-Oakland-South Side, 59U South Side Works-Oakland-Waterfront, 84A Herron Hill-Oakland, 84B Oakland Loop, 84C Hill Loop.  The following bus stops for those routes are eliminated until further notice: 

51E inbound Fifth Avenue stops at Kirkpatrick, at Moultrie, opposite Seneca, at Wyandotte, opposite Gist, at Dinwiddie, opposite Van Braam, at Pride, at Stevenson, at Magee, at Washington Place, and Diamond opposite Boyd. 51E outbound Forbes Avenue stops at McAnulty, at Magee, at Stephenson, at Pride (Mercy Hospital), at Van Braam, at Miltenberger, at Gist, at Jumonville, at Seneca, and at Moultrie.

54C inbound East Carson Street stops at South 19th, at South 20th, at South 21st, and South 22nd avenues, along with outbound East Carson Street stops at South 22nd, South 21st, South 20th, and South 19th avenues.

84A East Carson Street inbound stops at South 22nd and South 21st. Outbound East Carson Street stops at South 20th, South 21st, and South 22nd avenues.

84C inbound stops include Forbes Avenue at Jumonville, Seneca, and Moultrie, along with East Carson Street stops at South 22nd and South 21st avenues. 84C outbound stops include Fifth Avenue at Kirkpatrick, Moultrie, Seneca, and Wyandotte, along with East Carson Street at South 20th, South 21st, and South 22nd avenues.

          Riders of Port Authority bus routes traveling through Oakland and the South Side should expect delays in departure, arrival and travel times.

          Closure and subsequent detours will remain in effect until further notice.

Port Authority customers seeking additional information should call Port Authority Customer Service at (412) 442-2000 or the TTY number, (412) 231-7007 for the speech hearing impaired, or log on to Port Authority’s Web site at www.portauthority.org.