PITTSBURGH, Pa (WTAJ) — One of Pittsburgh’s most popular bridges, the Roberto Clemente (Sixth Street) Bridge, will be closed until Dec. 2023. So what’s going to happen with all those locks left along the rails?
The Department of Public works announced yesterday, Feb. 1, that starting on Feb. 14, 2022, at 6 a.m. the bridge will be closed to begin work on the rehabilitation project.
There are over 10,000 locks on the bridge that have been left there by visitors for years. Due to the rehab project, all of the locks are being donated to the Industrial Arts Workshop of Hazelwood.
The Industrial Arts Workshop is a nonprofit organization that teaches students of all ages about multiple different art programs, including sculpture creation and artistic literacy.
“I am excited for the opportunity to receive the locks, which are individual expressions from so many people who placed their thoughts and wishes in public,” said Tim Kaulen, executive director of the Industrial Arts Workshop. “It doesn’t take much imagination to visualize the web of connections between these locks and the journeys they took to reach such a special place in our community. I look forward to using the locks in a future public artwork that pays tribute to their origins and what brought them together on the Roberto Clemente Bridge.”
The announcement comes days after a bridge collapse near Frick Park, in Pittsburgh. With the rehabilitation project, $34.4 million dollars will go towards the 22-month project.
With the bridge closing for an extended period of time, outbound vehicles will be detoured using Fort Duquesne Boulevard, Andy Warhol (Seventh Street) Bridge, Sandusky Street, East Lacock Street, and Federal Street. Those inbound will detour using East General Robinson Street, Sandusky Street, the Andy Warhol Bridge, and Fort Duquesne Boulevard.
“The Clemente Bridge is an iconic symbol of Pittsburgh, and one that visitors and residents alike are familiar, but it too needs some love,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “This significant infrastructure investment will complete the rehabilitation of the third Sister Bridge and also allows the opportunity for a unique, sustainable reuse of the many locks that have been added to the bridge over the years.”
This is the third ‘Sisters Bridges’ rehabilitation project since 2016. First, the Andy Warhol Bridge was renovated between 2016-2017 and cost $25.4 million. Then, the Rachel Carson Bridge ran between 2019-2020 and cost 23.3 million. Unlike both of those, The Roberto Clemente Bridge will not add a new lane, remaining at two lanes.