Pittsburgh’s Greenfield Bridge opens ahead of schedule after upgrades

The Greenfield Bridge reopened this weekend ahead of schedule after a nearly three-week closure for maintenance and structural upgrades.

The bridge, which spans the Parkway East to link the city’s Greenfield neighborhood to Schenley Park, closed at 7 a.m. Sept. 21.

The Pittsburgh Department of Mobility and Infrastructure had estimated the thoroughfare would be closed to drivers and pedestrians until Oct. 21.

“Mosites Construction Co., the contractor who built the bridge, addressed several outstanding issues to ensure the longevity of the structure,” Tim McNulty, spokesman for Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, said Sunday in a statement.

The contractor’s crews milled the concrete deck of the bridge and installed a new concrete surface to prevent water from seeping into the bridge deck. The bridge’s east barrier, which had been flaking and peeling, got fresh protective coating.

The original Greenfield Bridge fell into disrepair, becoming such a national symbol of infrastructure failure that it was featured on “60 Minutes” and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”

The structure was closed and imploded in late 2015, then was rebuilt and reopened in October 2017.