Long-term I-579 ramp closures begin Saturday
PennDOT has announced longterm ramp closures on the Interstate 579 “Cap” Urban Connector project in the city’s Uptown section will begin Saturday at 5 a.m.
The closures will occur through May 23 on the following ramps: Bedford Avenue to southbound I579 and Seventh Avenue to southbound I-579.
Crews will begin the construction of the last pier and columns, relocate the drainage to each ramp and reconstruct the pavement.
Separate detours will be posted for cars and trucks.
Additionally, in preparation for construction, southbound I-579 will have a single-lane closure from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Crews will relocate temporary barriers and conduct line striping.
The 700-day closure of the ramp from northbound I-579 to Seventh Avenue will continue through Aug. 6, 2021.
The work is part of the $29.34 million project that will consist of
the construction of a structure spanning I-579 to link Downtown and the Hill District.
In part, the Cap project will create a three-acre greenspace that will include pedestrian pathways, bicycle routes, rain gardens for stormwater management, and design elements from neighborhood artists.
Additional construction includes retrofitting existing retaining walls and bridges to accommodate the new structure, roadway reconstruction, drainage improvements, traffic signals, highway lighting and landscaping. The Joseph B. Fay Co. is the prime contractor.