Pittsburgh's new Fern Hollow Bridge reopens to traffic

Pittsburgh’s new Fern Hollow Bridge opened to traffic in the East End early Thursday afternoon, less than a year after it collapsed.

Officials had initially said the bridge, which carries Forbes Avenue over Frick Park, would open Friday. Instead, PennDOT said motorists began using it at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

Officials had unveiled the completed bridge in a ceremony Wednesday ahead of it opening to traffic.

The bridge opened with a single lane of traffic in each direction. The shared-use path on the southern side of the span is open to bicycles and pedestrians.

Some changes are being made to traffic patterns in the area of the bridge.

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South Dallas Avenue is becoming one-way for southbound traffic only between Forbes Avenue and Beechwood Boulevard, officials said. A stop sign is being added on Beechwood Boulevard eastbound at South Dallas Avenue. A ramp between Beechwood Boulevard and Forbes Avenue is closing to vehicle traffic.

Additional changes planned include removing the “stop except left turn” sign on southbound South Dallas Avenue. A dedicated left-turn lane is being added in an effort to alleviate confusion.

Other upgrades planned include intersection improvements at Beechwood Boulevard and Beacon Street, a reduced speed limit on Forbes Avenue from South Dallas Avenue to Braddock Avenue, a pedestrian walking space on Beechwood Boulevard that links to the end of the existing Beechwood Boulevard sidewalk and concrete Jersey barriers to protect the two-way cycle track from the bridge to Beechwood Boulevard.

PennDOT said some minor work will continue on the bridge and in the park below through the spring.