Closure of Highland Park Bridge ramp extended

Motorists who have been tangling with extra traffic because of the closed Highland Park Bridge ramp to northbound Route 28 will have to be a little more patient.

The ramp will stay closed a bit longer, PennDOT announced.

Work, which began in March, is expected to run through mid-August because of unforeseen repairs and the replacement of damaged mechanically stabilized earth wall straps. Part of the delay is also due to added work to the mainline Route 28 bridge structure over Center Avenue in Aspinwall.

Ramp traffic will continue to be detoured around the clock.

Drivers on the bridge are suggested to use the ramp to Aspinwall and follow Freeport Road to Fox Chapel Road, and then take the northbound Route 28 on-ramp.

Alternately, drivers can take the ramp to southbound Route 28 and then use the ramp to North 8 toward Butler, turn left onto Kittanning Street, right onto Crescent Street and another right onto Grant Avenue before coming on to southbound Route 8 and back to north 28.

Construction on the ramp was expected to be wrapped up by late June.

The Highland Park Bridge and Route 28 interchange work began in late 2020 and will last through at least September 2023. The project’s main purpose is to reduce bottlenecks by changing one-lane passages to two lanes. Bridge rehabilitation, sound wall construction and drainage improvements are also underway.