Westbound I-376 'Bathtub' Closed Tuesday Night in Pittsburgh

The westbound Parkway East/Central in Pittsburgh will be closed between Grant Street (Exit 71A) and the Fort Pitt Bridge/I-279 ramps— the area known as the "bathtub"—on Tuesday night, Dec. 11, weather permitting.

According to PennDOT District 11 Press Officer Jim Struzzi, crews will be sawing and sealing pavement joints, placing barrier and other minor activities needed to complete the work. Westbound I-376 will be closed from 9 p.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m. on Wednesday. 

Signs will be posted to guide motorists. Posted detours: 

To continue westbound on I-376 to Fort Pitt Bridge:

• Westbound traffic on I-376 will be reduced to a single lane required to exit at the Grant Street off-ramp (Exit 71A)

• Make a left onto Fort Pitt Boulevard

• Take the Stanwix Street on-ramp to westbound I-376

To the Fort Duquesne Bridge (I-279/Route 65/North Shore):

• Exit at the Grant Street off-ramp (Exit 71A)

• Make a left onto Fort Pitt Boulevard

• Continue straight on Fort Pitt Boulevard to Commonwealth Place

• Access Fort Duquesne Boulevard on-ramp

Alternate route to Parkway North:

• Exit westbound I-376 to Boulevard of the Allies (Exit 72B)

• Take ramp to northbound I-579 (Crosstown Boulevard)

• Cross Veterans Bridge

• Access ramps to northbound I-279    

PennDOT advises motorists to use caution, slow down, and expect changing traffic patterns when traveling through the area. Delays should be expected.

Motorists are reminded to use all open lanes to the merge point. Be courteous and allow others to merge. The effectiveness of traffic flow in highway work zones is highly dependent on driver behavior. Using all lanes and allowing a consistent, courteous merge will reduce congestion and delay and help traffic move through the work zone.

The $8.7 million project includes concrete pavement patching, bituminous milling and resurfacing, concrete milling and latex concrete overlay/resurfacing, minor bridge repairs on various structures, drainage, guide rail, signing and pavement markings, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) installation, bridge rehabilitation and other improvements on various ramps on the Fort Pitt and Fort Duquesne bridges and the Parkway East/Central from just south of the Fort Duquesne Bridge to approximately 1,800 feet east of the I-376 Grant Street Interchange. The project is also improving a bridge on Fort Duquesne Boulevard. Overall work will conclude this fall. The prime contractor is the Trumbull Corp. of Pittsburgh.