The U.S. Golf Association is requesting state funds to construct a new bridge over the Pennsylvania Turnpike at Oakmont Country Club, where it hosts major events like the U.S. Open.
The association is requesting a $5 million Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant, which would cover nearly half of the overall project cost.
The USGA wants to hold the 2033, 2042 and 2049 U.S. Men’s Opens and the 2028 and 2038 U.S. Women’s Opens at the course.
Earlier this year, the 2025 U.S. Men’s Open was played there. The event drew more than 230,000 spectators, the USGA wrote in its grant application.
“OCC is a prime location for USGA events, due to its size and optimal location proximate to lodging, airports, and commercial retail,” the application said. “However, improvements are needed to support the growing number of spectators at the events.”
There are currently “bottlenecks,” USGA officials said, at two existing bridges spanning the Pennsylvania Turnpike from spectators and traffic. The second footbridge was completed in 2003 to help ease pedestrian traffic between the two sides of the course.
The golf association is proposing to build a new bridge, allowing vehicle and construction traffic to be separated from spectators.
“This will significantly reduce traffic on Hulton Road, improving safety for those on-site and within the community,” the application continued.
The bridge would be 350 feet long and 16 to 20 feet wide and would span the Pennsylvania Turnpike and an adjacent railroad.
A landslide abatement project would also occur with construction.
“When we designated Oakmont as a U.S. Open anchor site, we made a commitment to invest and enhance the experience of everyone who visits,” USGA spokeswoman Julia Pine said in a statement. “This grant will allow us to construct vital onsite infrastructure that will greatly improve the fan experience, increase accessibility and capacity, and ensure that future championships continue to deliver significant economic and tourism benefits to the region and to golf fans across the Commonwealth.”
Ahead of the 2016 U.S. Open, the tournament affected the construction of the new Hulton Bridge and the implosion of its predecessor, which was much narrower than the current span.
If the USGA receives state funding, it plans to begin construction in June 2027 and finish the project about a year later.
According to the USGA, the U.S. Open can generate around $77.4 million in direct consumer spending.
