$132M in funding acquired for 3 bridge upgrade projects in western Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH — We’ve all been looking at our bridges a little closer lately. Noticing the rust and the cracks. All signs of deterioration.  We recently learned three planned bridge projects in our area will now be able to start sooner than expected thanks to funding from the state.

“We can’t put off these upgrades for too much longer,” said Lt. Governor Austin Davis.

We learned an additional $132 million is going towards rehab projects on the Fort Duquesne Bridge, West End Bridge and McKees Rocks Bridge.  The total expected cost to rehab all three bridges is about $370 million.

“These projects are costly, but they’re important for the entire region,” said Davis.

Secretary of Transportation Michael Carroll joined Lt. Governor Austin Davis for this recent announcement. Carroll says this investment closes the gap to move these projects forward.

“These discretionary funds advance these three projects and get them to completion sooner,” said Carroll.

Of the $132 million investment, $60 million is going to the Fort Duquesne Bridge, $47 million to the West End Bridge and the McKees Rocks bridge is getting $25 million.  This work is totally separate from the construction going on right now on the McKees Rocks Bridge and isn’t expected to start until well after the current work is finished, which is slated for completion in Fall 2024.

“After the incident of the Fern Hollow Bridge, it’s important to make sure the bridges are up to date and maintained properly,” said Mike Cvetic.  “It’s a safety hazard.”

The biggest undertaking will be the Fort Duquesne Bridge project.  It’s not just the bridge but all the ramps too which in its entirety sees more than 200,000 vehicles a day.  The last rehab of the Fort Duquesne Bridge was in 2009.

“It’s almost a misnomer to call it the Fort Duquesne Bridge project because it’s the Fort Duquesne structure and all the associated ramps that go with it,” said Carroll.  “19 ramps all together.”

“It’s always a headache to travelers, but in the end it’s worthwhile I think,” said Cvetic.

These three bridge projects will now move on to the design phase. Channel 11 asked Carroll for a timeline for the projects.

“It’s not going to affect anyone’s commute tomorrow,” said Carroll.  “I would measure it in months and years instead of days and weeks.  The good news is with the allocation of the funds everything can be advanced to deliver the project sooner.”

The money is coming from funding that’s allocated to critical projects across the state.  The last rehab project for the West End Bridge was in 1991.

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