Motorists will find different traffic patterns on Interstate 79 in the Sewickley area for the next 10 months as part of a continuing road project.
Crews began preparations Friday for the left lane of southbound traffic on I-79 to cross over to the northbound side of the highway between the Interstate 279 and the Red Mud Hollow Road overpass. This will create an express lane that will skip exits at Mount Nebo Road and Route 65 (Ohio River Boulevard) and rejoin the southbound lanes between the Route 65 exit and the Neville Island Bridge.
Two lanes of traffic will be maintained on the northbound lanes. Traffic in the crossover area will be separated by a barrier.
The crossover, which is expected to be completed by noon Saturday, affects traffic in Glenfield, Sewickley Hills, Franklin Park, Aleppo and Ohio Township.
The right lane of I-79 south remains open to serve as the local lane and allow traffic to exit at all interchanges. Traffic will be shifted slightly at the Red Mud Hollow Road and Glenfield Road bridges to allow crews to conduct half-width deck replacement work.
The work is part of a $26.5 million project by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to rehabilitate a series of bridges between Sewickley and I-279. Besides work on four bridges, Joseph B. Fay Co. will repave the road surface and replace guide rails and signs.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.