Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Traffic Advisory
I-79 Ewing Road Bridge Beams Placed This Weekend
Interstate Closed Friday and Saturday Nights

Pittsburgh, PA (July 25, 2006) – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 11 is pleased to announce that new beams will be placed for the Ewing Road bridge over Interstate 79 in Collier Township, Allegheny County, this weekend, Friday and Saturday, July 28-29, 2006.

To allow the new beams to be placed, I-79 will be closed in both directions each night from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. between the Kirwan Heights Interchange (Exit 55) and the I-279 (Parkway West) Interchange (Exit 59A-B). The interstate will be completely reopened by 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The closure is necessary for public safety as contractor crews place nine concrete box beams over the northbound lanes of I-79. Four 43-foot long beams and five 141-foot long beams will be set this weekend on new bridge abutments.

Signs will be posted to detour traffic around the closed section of I-79. The official detours will be:

I-79 Northbound:

          - Exit at Kirwan Heights Exit 55
          - Follow Route 50 northbound to I-279
          - Take I-279 southbound back to I-79
          *Special notes: The Kirwan Heights on-ramp to northbound I-79 will also be closed. Traffic should follow same detour indicated
            above (Route 50 to I-279 to I-79). The Carnegie on-ramp to I-79 northbound will be closed as well. Traffic should follow
            Noblestown Road (Route 3048) which becomes Mansfield Boulevard, then Chestnut Street to Academy Street to I-279
            southbound, back to northbound I-79.

I-79 Southbound:

          - Take the Carnegie exit off I-279 southbound
          - Follow Route 50 south to Kirwan Heights Interchange
          - Take on-ramp to I-79 southbound

The Ewing Road Bridge is being replaced as part of a $93 million project to reconstruct Interstate 79 (Raymond P. Shafer Highway) between Exit 54 (Bridgeville) and Exit 60 (Crafton) in Collier, Scott and Robinson Townships, and Bridgeville, Rosslyn Farms, and Heidelberg boroughs, Allegheny County.

Motorists are advised to use caution, be prepared for changing traffic patterns, and allow extra time when traveling through the area. PennDOT thanks motorists for their patience and cooperation as this important transportation improvement project moves forward. Highway construction work zone safety is everyone’s responsibility.

Trumbull Corporation is the prime contractor for the project, which will be completed early 2007. Visit www.penndot11.com to learn more about the project.

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For more information contact:

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
District 11
45 Thoms Run Road
Bridgeville, PA 15017
H. Daniel Cessna, P.E., District Executive

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

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Traffic Advisory I-79 Ewing Road Bridge Beams Placed This Weekend Interstate Closed Friday and Saturday Nights

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Traffic Advisory
I-79 Ewing Road Bridge Beams Placed This Weekend
Interstate Closed Friday and Saturday Nights