Sewickley Bridge closing for 24 days

The contractor upgrading the Sewickley Bridge will take advantage of low traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic to close the bridge for 24 days beginning Friday.

The closure will allow Swank Construction to work straight through without having to set up and take down equipment and barriers, said Steve Cowan, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation. The contract originally called for a 14-day closure plus four additional weekends, which now will be eliminated. Mr. Cowan said low traffic because of the pandemic made it possible to

approve the longer closure.

The bridge, which connects Route 65 in Sewickley to Route 51 in Moon across the Ohio River, normally carries 20,000 vehicles a day but that is much lower due to the virus.

“This is actually a benefit and one of the reasons we were willing to consider it,” Mr. Cowan said. “This [extended closure] makes it much easier for the pubic and businesses to plan. It’s going to be one 24-day closure where they can get a lot done.”

The recommended detour takes motorists to Interstate 79 and across the Neville Island Bridge.

After the closure, work will continue on weekdays through late November. That work will cause singlelane alternating traffic on the bridge from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Swank has a $3.69 million contract to conduct milling and latex placement on the bridge deck, expansion dam replacement, approach reconstruction and paving.