Part of Saw Mill Run Boulevard to close this week for bridge demolition

PITTSBURGH — South Hills drivers are preparing to navigate a nearly month-long closure of a section of Route 51 in Pittsburgh’s Mount Washington neighborhood.

“It’s going to really cripple us because we have so many other routes to go on. A little bit of sarcasm there,” joked driver Ed Mitchell.

PennDOT will be completely closing down a nearly one-mile stretch of Route 51 between Crane Avenue and Woodruff Street from Thursday, Aug. 1 until Aug. 26.

The closure will allow contractors to demolish and remove the overpass that crosses 51 near Woodruff Street.

“It’s going to be pretty hard to get around. Traffic’s going to be tied up as usual,” Mitchell said.

Once the overpass is removed, PennDOT says crews will also be widening the road in that area and building new modular block walls as part of the $3.13 million project.

Preparation work was scheduled to get underway around 8 p.m. Tuesday night, closing one lane of 51 in each direction between the Liberty Tunnels and I-376 until 5 a.m.

As of 11 pm, the closures had not begun. It’s unclear if rain contributed to that.

The single lane closures are scheduled to take place again Wednesday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm until 5:00 am Thursday before the full closure takes effect.

“That’s probably going to mess up a lot of people’s schedules and mess with everyone’s day-to-day lives,” said driver Jared Stalker.

Detours will be in effect throughout the month of August and will likely cause significant backups in the Liberty Tunnels and on the Parkway West.

“I would imagine that in the beginning, it’ll be pretty frustrating, but after a while, you kind of get used to it and figure out your way around,” Mitchell said.

PennDOT’s detours can be found here:

Posted Car Detours

Northbound Route 51

•     From northbound Route 51, take the ramp to 579 toward Downtown/South Side

•     Turn right and continue through the Liberty Tunnel

•     Cross the Liberty Bridge and take the ramp to 376 East toward Oakland/Monroeville/Boulevard of the Allies

•     Turn left onto the Boulevard of the Allies toward Downtown Pittsburgh

•     Turn left onto Stanwix Street

•     Take the ramp to 376 West toward the Fort Pitt Bridge/Airport

•     From westbound I-376, cross the Fort Pitt Bridge and continue through the Fort Pitt Tunnel

•     Take the ramp to 19 South toward Banksville Road (Exit 69A)

•     Continue toward Truck 19/51 South toward Uniontown

•     Bear left toward 376 East/51 South

•     Merge onto Banksville Road

•     Take the ramp to Route 19/51 North toward the West End Circle (Exit 69C)

•     End detour

Southbound Route 51

•     From southbound Route 19/51, take the ramp to 376 West/19 South toward Carnegie/Pittsburgh International Airport

•     Bear left toward 19 South toward Banksville Road

•     Bear left toward 376 East/51 South

•     Merge onto Banksville Road

•     Merge onto eastbound I-376 (Parkway West)

•     Continue through the Fort Pitt Tunnel and across the Fort Pitt Bridge

•     Take the ramp to the Boulevard of the Allies/Liberty Avenue/PPG Arena (Exit 70A)

•     Bear right onto the Boulevard of the Allies

•     Turn right to Route 19/51 toward the Liberty Bridge

•     Cross the Liberty Bridge and continue through the Liberty Tunnel

•     Take the ramp to 51 South toward Uniontown

•     End detour

Posted Truck Detours

Northbound Route 51

•     From northbound Route 51, take the ramp to 579 toward Downtown/South Side

•     Turn left onto Truck 19 South (West Liberty Avenue) toward Dormont

•     Turn right onto Bower Hill Road

•     Turn right onto Route 121 (Cochran Road)

•     Bear right onto Green Tree Road toward 376/North 121

•     Take the ramp to 376 East toward Pittsburgh

•     From eastbound I-376, take the ramp to Route 19/51 North toward the West End Circle (Exit 69C)

•     End detour

Southbound Route 51

•     From southbound Route 19/51, take the ramp to 376 West/19 South toward Carnegie/Pittsburgh International Airport

•     Stay right to 376 West toward Carnegie/Airport

•     Merge onto westbound I-376 (Parkway West)

•     Take the ramp to Route 121 toward Green Tree/Crafton (Exit 67)

•     Bear right toward Route 121 South toward Green Tree

•     Follow Route 121 (Greentree Road) to Cochran Road

•     Turn left onto Cochran Road (Route 121)

•     Turn left onto Bower Hill Road

•     Turn left onto Truck 19 North (West Liberty Avenue)

•     Take the ramp to 51 South toward Uniontown

•     End detour

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