Category: News || By Submitted Report

Crews from the state Department of Transportation will patch surface roads in Pittsburgh's East End tomorrow and Thursday in preparation for this weekend's closure of the outbound lanes of the Squirrel Hill Tunnel.

Repair work is being done during daylight hours on Forward, Forbes and South Braddock avenues. Those streets are scheduled to be used as part of the detour when the $49.5 million project to rehabilitate the tunnel gets underway at 11 p.m. Friday, said Jim Struzzi, district spokesman for PennDOT.

This weekend's closure of the outbound tunnel will continue through 6 a.m. Monday. Crews will begin work to remove the outbound tunnel ceiling and continue rehabilitation and preservation work on the outbound bridge that crosses Commercial Street. When overall work is completed, vertical clearance in the eastbound tunnel will increase from 13 feet, 6 inches to 14 feet, 9 inches.

Signs will be posted to guide motorists, Struzzi said. The posted detour will require eastbound traffic to form a single lane exiting at Exit 74, the Squirrel Hill-Homestead interchange. Significant delays should be expected and alternate routes considered.

The inbound tunnel will remain open while the outbound tunnel is closed, although short-term inbound traffic stoppages may occur for equipment access and material removal.

To minimize impacts on businesses in Squirrel Hill, which will remain open and accessible, different detours are being used during day and night hours, Struzzi said. Police will be posted to keep traffic moving on the posted detour.

Daylight detour (6 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

• Exit at Squirrel Hill (Exit 74)


• Make left onto Forward Avenue


• Continue taking slight right and stay on Forward Avenue


• Left onto Beechwood Boulevard


• Right onto Forbes Avenue


• Right onto South Braddock Avenue


• End detour at outbound Parkway East on-ramp

Night detour (8 p.m. to 6 a.m.)

• Exit at Squirrel Hill (Exit 74)


• Make left onto Forward Avenue


• Continue slight left/straight onto Murray Avenue


• Right onto Forbes Avenue


• Right onto South Braddock Avenue


• End detour at outbound Parkway East on-ramp

If significant congestion and delay are occurring during the outbound closures, PennDOT suggests the following alternative:

• From eastbound I-376, take the Forbes Avenue (Exit 72A) to Oakland


• Continue on Forbes Avenue through Oakland


• Make left onto South Bellefield Avenue


• Make right onto Fifth Avenue


• Continue east on Fifth Avenue


• Make right onto Penn Avenue (Route 380/8)


• Continue through Wilkinsburg


• Access Parkway East in Forest Hills

Additional closures are planned through the month of April, Struzzi said, but the schedule is tentative and subject to change based on work progress and other variables.

The project to rehabilitate the Squirrel Hill Tunnel includes updating electrical, lighting, air control and ventilation systems, structural repairs to the walls and arched ceiling, tile repairs, installation of a water line and other improvements. Overall work will conclude in early summer 2014.