The Swindell Bridge on Pittsburgh’s North Side will have another monthlong closure beginning Monday.
But the temporary repairs should be the last closure until a full rehabilitation begins in 2026. During this closure, crews will replace steel beams on the west end of the bridge to eliminate traffic restrictions on the structure that included reducing it to one alternating lane with stop signs at each end. The $540,000 interim project should be finished by Aug. 7.
The bridge, which spans Interstate 279 to connect the Perry South and Northview Heights neighborhoods, is going through its third closure in the past year.
Last summer it closed for two months after debris from a repair project accumulated and spilled onto the highway underneath it. It was closed for another week in April so the contractor could set up work platforms and take exact measurements for the beams that are now being installed.
Swindle is among a series of city bridges that have been neglected over the years and has been rated in poor condition since 2009. After the the collapse of the Fern Hollow Bridge between Squirrel Hill and Point Breeze in January 2022, new Mayor Ed Gainey began a comprehensive program to address the city’s bridge problems.
A two-year $27 million rehabilitation project on Swindell is scheduled to begin in late 2026. That work will include additional steel and concrete repairs, a new deck and a complete paint job.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.