Construction on Homestead Grays Bridge expected to spill into evening rush hour

Paving work on the Homestead Grays Bridge is expected to cause traffic delays during rush hour Tuesday.

The bridge is restricted to one lane in each direction and the West Fifth Avenue ramp is closed until 6 p.m. Police will be directing traffic.

West Fifth Avenue ramp traffic is being detoured using West Waterfront Drive, East Waterfront Drive, Amity Street and East Eighth Avenue.

Traffic on the bridge and its ramps was expected to be restricted for milling and paving work between 7 p.m. Monday and 6 a.m. Tuesday and then continuing between those hours each day this week through Sunday.

City officials said in a press release that a miscommunication between the Department of Public Works and its contractor led to work being done during the day Tuesday.

Because Tuesday’s work went longer than expected, the schedule for the rest of the week will be changed. The revised schedule hasn’t been announced yet.

The milling and paving work is part of a bridge preservation project, which includes structural steel repairs, downspout and scupper repairs and cleanout and barrier and deck repairs.

The project began on March 25 and is expected to end later this month.

After this week’s milling and paving work is complete, the bridge will again be reduced to one lane in each direction between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday through Friday. There aren’t expected to be any other ramp closures for the remainder of the project.

Pedestrians will continue to have access to the bridge’s sidewalks, which aren’t impacted by the work.

The $2.5 million project is being done by Advantage Steel and Construction of Saxonburg and in conjunction with PennDOT and the Federal Highway Administration.