DETOUR: Squirrel Hill Tunnel to be Closed for Next Two Weekends

Get ready to experience some delays on the Parkway East for the next two weekends.

The outbound (eastbound) Squirrel Hill Tunnel on the parkway will be closed during the next two weekends, April 19 to 22 and April 26 to 29.

The closures will begin earlier than usual—from 10 p.m. on Friday through 6 a.m. on Monday.

Signs will be posted to guide motorists. The posted detour will require eastbound traffic to form a single lane exiting at the Squirrel Hill/Homestead interchange (Exit 74). Significant delays should be expected and alternate routes considered. The inbound (westbound) 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.

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  

Crews will continue to remove the outbound tunnel ceiling and rehabilitation and preservation work on the outbound bridge over 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. Additional, multiple improvement activities will occur in the tunnel as well to maximize productivity during the closures.

Motorists are reminded to use all open lanes to the single lane merge point on the Parkway East.

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 Bellafield 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     

For general information, detour route travel times and traffic cameras, go to www.dot.state.pa.us/district11 and click the Squirrel Hill Tunnel Rehabilitation Project link on the right. The travel time and camera links are in the lower right hand corner along with other detour information. Cameras only will be active when the detour is active.

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