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Date Set For Implosion Of Old Greenfield Bridge

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It's not going to happen until the fall, but a major traffic alert is already giving Parkway East drivers anxiety.

When it comes to repeated repairs and costly maintenance, there's only so much that can be done. That's the case with the aging Greenfield Bridge that spans the Parkway East.

The city says it's time to bring the span down and build a replacement.

"I remember reading about it a while ago and thinking that's going to be a nightmare," said Cathryn Freddo, a local resident.

But now, there is a clear timeline in place - the closure of the bridge by October and then an implosion in late December. That will force the Parkway East to shut down for about a week.

"Can't they find another way of doing it?" said Sherrian Mitchell, a local resident.

Engineers say there is no way around. It's going to take some time to literally pick up the pieces from the highway below.

That is not the news commuters want to hear.

"No, because then it's going to make my alternative route a lot longer," said Barbara, a commuter who drives in the area.

"Once you go off course and go through a detour that nobody is familiar with, then that's where issues come up, accidents," said Jack, another commuter.

"It's going to be a huge hassle, and right now, with bridges and the construction that they're doing right now, I think that already has been a hassle for a ton of people," said George Kirk, a local resident.

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