The Commercial Street Bridge Replacement Project remains on track for the major bridge closure to happen in July of next year.On Wednesday, Jason Zang, District 11 executive for PennDOT engineering, shared what’s next for the project.“We’ve got probably one of the most spectacular construction backdrops that you could ask for,” Zang said.Zang wrapped up 2025’s projects on the site of a critical project continuing into next year: the Commercial Street Bridge Replacement Project. State Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll said it’s the first of its kind in western Pennsylvania.“After we construct this bridge parallel to the existing roadway, we will take the existing bridge down and push a new one in place. It’s a stunning engineering feat. It’s a stunning construction feat, and I am eager to see that all transpire next year,” Carroll said.This year, in District 11, which includes Allegheny, Beaver, and Lawrence counties, PennDOT clocked 49 projects, put out bids for more than $500 million, paved more than 700 miles of roadway, and repaired or replaced 44 bridges.One major project, for example, was the addition of cameras to Route 28 to detect wrong-way drivers, and signs and lights to alert other drivers.Zang took a moment to remind the public of what’s next for Commercial Street — a three-month closure.“Why are we doing that? That’s because the operation that you see behind me here with the cranes, where we’re setting up the steel here, that whole operation will move to the other side. So to do that, we have to close the road down. We have to bring dirt out onto the road to set cranes,” Zang said.The bridge closure in July 2026 will last up to a month.

PITTSBURGH —

The Commercial Street Bridge Replacement Project remains on track for the major bridge closure to happen in July of next year.

On Wednesday, Jason Zang, District 11 executive for PennDOT engineering, shared what’s next for the project.

“We’ve got probably one of the most spectacular construction backdrops that you could ask for,” Zang said.

Zang wrapped up 2025’s projects on the site of a critical project continuing into next year: the Commercial Street Bridge Replacement Project.

State Secretary of Transportation Mike Carroll said it’s the first of its kind in western Pennsylvania.

“After we construct this bridge parallel to the existing roadway, we will take the existing bridge down and push a new one in place. It’s a stunning engineering feat. It’s a stunning construction feat, and I am eager to see that all transpire next year,” Carroll said.

This year, in District 11, which includes Allegheny, Beaver, and Lawrence counties, PennDOT clocked 49 projects, put out bids for more than $500 million, paved more than 700 miles of roadway, and repaired or replaced 44 bridges.

One major project, for example, was the addition of cameras to Route 28 to detect wrong-way drivers, and signs and lights to alert other drivers.

Zang took a moment to remind the public of what’s next for Commercial Street — a three-month closure.

“Why are we doing that? That’s because the operation that you see behind me here with the cranes, where we’re setting up the steel here, that whole operation will move to the other side. So to do that, we have to close the road down. We have to bring dirt out onto the road to set cranes,” Zang said.

The bridge closure in July 2026 will last up to a month.