PennDOT shutting down Sewickley Bridge for 10 days - how you can avoid the traffic headache

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - PennDOT is closing a critical connector between Sewickley Borough and Moon Township for the next 10 days. It's shutting down the Sewickley Bridge and the around-the-clock closure is going to impact drivers across the area.

Sandy Skarupa already experiences congestion on the Sewickley Bridge a few times a week, on her trip from Imperial to the Y in the borough.

"It's packed. You have to wait at the light three, four times, you know, and it's just crazy," Skarupa said.

Well now she could face more of that, on a different route, at least for the time being.

"It's really going to be inconvenient," Skarupa said.

It's because PennDOT is shutting down the bridge over the Ohio River for the next 10 days, affecting folks everywhere from Sewickley to Moon, Leetsdale and by the airport corridor. Both directions will be closed from Friday at 7 p.m. to April 29 at 6 a.m. to repair an expansion dam.

In the meantime, if you're traveling this way, you'll likely have to take the I-79 Neville Island Bridge to get to where you need to go.

"It's going to take probably at least 15 more minutes for the detour," Skarupa said.

When it comes to first responders, the chief for the Valley Ambulance Authority said they're working with other agencies to have ambulances on both sides of the bridge to ensure services remain seamless.

Also, the Sewickley Borough Police Department said they'll have officers at major intersections to help traffic flow as smoothly as possible.

No matter what, expect delays, and more vehicles on I-79.

"I don't have a choice," Skarupa said.

Unfortunately, that's the problem. As Kristen Heimann said, there's nothing you can do.

"At the end of the day, I believe in infrastructure improvements, so if they're going to be fixing something that's been a longstanding problem, I'm here for it," Heimann said. "10 days will go by like that."

It's a good opportunity to take a lesson in patience.

"Hoping it will be nice weather for the 10 days and it will be over quicker," Skarupa said.

You can see the full, step-by-step detours below.

From Sewickley:

• Motorists will take Route 65 southbound
• Take the left-hand ramp to I-79 toward Erie/Washington
• Take the left-hand ramp to South I-79 toward Washington
• Merge onto southbound I-79 and cross the Neville Island Bridge
• Take the Neville Island to Route 51 (Exit 65) off-ramp
• Turn left onto Grand Avenue
• Cross the Coraopolis Bridge
• Turn right onto northbound Route 51 (Fourth Avenue)
• Follow northbound Route 51 back to the Sewickley Bridge
• End detour

From Moon Township:

• Motorists will take Route 51 southbound
• Turn left onto Ferree Street
• Cross the Coraopolis Bridge
• Continue along Grand Avenue
• Take the ramp to northbound I-79 toward Erie
• Merge onto northbound I-79 and cross the Neville Island Bridge
• Take the ramp to Route 65 toward Emsworth/Sewickley (Exit 66)
• Continue following the ramp to Route 65 toward Emsworth/Sewickley
• Take the ramp to North 65 toward Sewickley
• Merge onto northbound Route 65 and follow back to the Sewickley Bridge
• End detour