Parkway East bridge demolished in Pittsburgh

Key Points:

• The old Commercial Street Bridge on Interstate 376 was demolished by a controlled blast on Thursday morning, with debris clearing already underway to prepare for a new bridge slide next week.
• The demolition blast was postponed from Wednesday evening to Thursday morning due to timing challenges, but the process went smoothly without any issues or vandalism.
• The new bridge will be slid into place on the existing alignment between the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and the Edgewood/Swissvale interchange, marking one of Pennsylvania's largest lateral bridge slide projects.
• The original Commercial Street Bridge was constructed between 1948 and 1951, featuring three 170-foot arches and a total length of 846 feet, including approach spans and ramps.
• Interstate 376 remains closed between the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and Edgewood/Swissvale interchange with detours in place through August 3, directing drivers along specified interstate and local alternate routes.