Roberto Clemente Bridge Closes Tomorrow Morning For Repair Work

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Roberto Clemente Bridge carries nearly 8,000 vehicles daily across the Allegheny River.

This upcoming closure impacts a lot of people, from motorists to bicyclists and even pedestrians.

Now this is part of a long-planned rehab project of Pittsburgh's sister bridges.

The Allegheny County Department of Public Works Director Stephen Shanley says a lot of repairs need to be made.

He says they will be replacing the deck, painting the superstructure and performing structural repairs.

There will also be some utility work on the bridge.

Now this will of course cause detours.

Outbound vehicle traffic will be detoured using Fort Duquesne Boulevard, the Andy Warhol Bridge, Sandusky Street, East Lacock Street and Federal Street.

Inbound vehicle traffic will be detoured using East General Robinson Street, Sandusky Street, the Andy Warhol Bridge and Fort Duquesne Boulevard.

Bicycle and pedestrian traffic will be detoured using Fort Duquesne Boulevard, the Andy Warhol Bridge and Isabella Street.

These detours may cause some headaches, but Pittsburghers KDKA has spoken to think it'll be worth it.

"For me as a photographer, it's going to be a wonderful thing, it's going to brighten up the city, it's going to brighten up the yellows," a Montgomery/Beechview resident said.

"I do use it every day for work, I walk across the bridge because it takes the bus over this way from Bloomfield, and I think if the bridge needs work, then that sounds great, I'd rather it be repaired than be using it," said Al Hogan, a Bloomfield resident.

It should be noted that the Three Rivers Heritage Trail will remain open near the bridge – on the North Shore and Downtown – for the duration of the project.

The Roberto Clemente Bridge closes tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. and is expected to reopen next December.

Thousands of "love locks" will be removed from the bridge.

If you are one of those couples, you are encouraged to go get it before construction starts tomorrow morning.

The ones left behind will be cut off and donated to the Industrial Arts Workshop of Hazelwood.