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Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing the long-term closure of the ramps from Route 65 and Deer Run Road to southbound I-79 at the Neville Island Bridge in Glenfield Borough, Allegheny County will begin Wednesday, January 18 weather permitting.

Beginning at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, the ramps that carry traffic from Route 65 in both directions and Deer Run Road to southbound I-79 will close to traffic continuously through early mid-February as crews conduct paint containment removal work. All ramp traffic will be detoured. 

Posted Detour – Northbound and Southbound Route 65 ramps to Southbound I-79

• From northbound and southbound Route 65, follow the signs to northbound I-79 toward Erie

• Turn on to Kilbuck Street

• From Kilbuck Street, take the ramp to northbound I-79

• From northbound I-79, take the Mt. Nebo (Exit 68) off-ramp

• Turn left onto Mt. Nebo Road

• Turn left onto the ramp to southbound I-79

• Follow southbound I-79 back to the Neville Island Bridge

• End detour

Posted Detour – Deer Run Road ramp to Southbound I-79

• Follow Deer Run Road eastbound past the closed ramp

• Turn left onto Kilbuck Street

• From Kilbuck Street, take the ramp to northbound I-79

• From northbound I-79, take the Mt. Nebo (Exit 68) off-ramp

• Turn left onto Mt. Nebo Road

• Turn left onto the ramp to southbound I-79

• Follow southbound I-79 back to the Neville Island Bridge

• End detour

Alternate Detour – Northbound and Southbound Route 65 ramps to Southbound I-79

• From Route 65, turn onto the Sewickley Bridge

• Turn left onto Route 51 and follow through Coraopolis

• Take the ramp to southbound I-79

• End detour

The closing of the ramps will allow the contractor to safely close the ramp acceleration lane and shoulder on the Neville Island Bridge in the southbound direction. The removal of the metal pans as part of the overhead suspension paint containment system needs to be completed in the daylight hours for the safety of workers and motorists.

Off-duty uniformed police officers will be staged at various locations along the detour route.

The $43 million I-79 Neville Island Bridge Rehabilitation Project includes structural steel repairs, full structure painting, bearing and deck joint replacements, deck repairs and overlays, bridge barrier repair, substructure concrete work and drainage improvements.  The project also includes concrete roadway reconstruction, guide rail replacement and preservation work on four sign structures. Additionally, preservation work will occur on the I-79 bridge over Deer Run Road, north of the Neville Island Bridge.  Motorists will see ramp closures and single-lane and shoulder closures in each direction on I-79 during daylight off-peak and overnight hours. Other traffic impacts include four southbound weekend closures in 2022. The overall project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023.

The Trumbull Corporation is the prime contractor.

To help keep motorists informed as work progresses, PennDOT has created an email distribution list for the I-79 Neville Island Bridge rehabilitation including traffic advisories and construction updates. Enroll by sending email addresses to stcowan@pa.gov. Please write “Subscribe – I-79” in the subject line.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

MEDIA CONTACT: Steve Cowan, 412-429-5010

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