Parkway East bridge demolished in Pittsburgh
The Commercial Street Bridge on Interstate 376 was taken down with a controlled blast.
Updated: 11:39 AM EDT Jul 16, 2026
The old Parkway East bridge is no more. The Commercial Street Bridge was taken down with a controlled blast that reduced it to rubble Thursday morning.BRIDGE DEMOLITION: Watch a replay of the big boom in the video abovePennDOT District Executive Jason Zang said everything went well with the demolition, and workers are already clearing the massive amount of debris to make way for a new bridge to be slid into place on Interstate 376.The new bridge slide will happen next week, Zang said. An exact date has not been determined.WTAE camera captures amazing ground-level view of demolition: Watch the video belowBLAST WAS POSTPONEDDemolition of the old bridge was originally set to occur Wednesday evening. The blast ended up being postponed by PennDOT and happened at 8 a.m. Thursday instead.Zang said contractors thought the blast could happen by 7 p.m. Wednesday, but that target turned out to be “overly ambitious,” and they simply ran out of daylight and decided to push it back to Thursday morning. He said nothing went wrong during the process, and there was no vandalism at the site.After debris is cleared from the area, construction crews will slide a new bridge onto the existing alignment of I-376 between the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and the Edgewood/Swissvale interchange. PennDOT officials said the project will be one of the largest lateral slide projects in Pennsylvania.Watch the full video of PennDOT’s post-demolition news conference belowHISTORY OF THE BRIDGEAccording to Historic Pittsburgh, hosted by the University of Pittsburgh Library System, the current bridge (known as the Commercial Street Bridge) began construction in April 1948. The bridge was completed in April 1951.The old bridge has three arches with a length of 170 feet each and 12 approach spans at a length of 28 feet each. The total length of the bridge, including the longest elevated ramp, was 846 feet, and the deck had a clearance of 85 feet at the arch and a width of 68 feet.DETOURS STILL IN PLACEInterstate 376 remains closed between the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and the Edgewood/Swissvale interchange. The closure is currently scheduled to continue through Aug. 3.Interstate detour westboundFrom westbound (inbound) I-376, take Exit 78B (Wilkinsburg) toward PA 8 north.Merge onto Route 8 (Ardmore Boulevard).Continue straight onto Route 8 (Penn Avenue).Turn left onto Fifth Avenue.After going through Oakland, take the ramp to the left for westbound I-376. Use caution for opposing traffic.Merge onto the Boulevard of the Allies and stay in the right lane to merge onto westbound I-376 toward downtown/Fort Pitt Bridge.Continue straight to merge onto westbound (inbound) I-376.Interstate detour eastboundFrom eastbound (outbound) I-376, take Exit 72A (Forbes Avenue/Oakland).Merge onto Forbes Avenue.Turn left onto South Bellefield Avenue.Turn right onto Fifth Avenue.Turn right onto Route 8 (Penn Avenue).Bear right to continue on Route 8 (Ardmore Boulevard).Take the ramp to 376/22/30 toward Pittsburgh/Monroeville.At the split, bear left to eastbound 376/22 toward Monroeville.Merge onto eastbound (outbound) I-376.Local detour westboundFrom westbound (inbound) I-376, take Exit 77 (Edgewood/Swissvale).At the end of the ramp, turn left onto South Braddock Avenue.Continue onto the Rankin Bridge.Turn right onto Route 837 (River Road).Continue onto Route 837 (Eighth Avenue).Turn right onto the Homestead Grays Bridge.Continue onto Browns Hill Road.Continue straight onto Beechwood Boulevard.Follow signs for westbound I-376 toward Pittsburgh.Take the ramp to westbound I-376 toward Pittsburgh.Local detour eastboundFrom eastbound (outbound) I-376, take Exit 74A (Squirrel Hill/Homestead), continuing straight onto Beechwood Boulevard toward Homestead.Continue straight onto Browns Hill Road.Continue onto the Homestead Grays Bridge.Turn left onto Route 837 (Eighth Avenue).Continue straight on Route 837 (River Road).Turn left onto the Rankin Bridge.Continue onto South Braddock Avenue.Bear right to merge onto eastbound I-376 toward Monroeville.Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
PITTSBURGH —
The old Parkway East bridge is no more. The Commercial Street Bridge was taken down with a controlled blast that reduced it to rubble Thursday morning.
BRIDGE DEMOLITION: Watch a replay of the big boom in the video above
PennDOT District Executive Jason Zang said everything went well with the demolition, and workers are already clearing the massive amount of debris to make way for a new bridge to be slid into place on Interstate 376.
The new bridge slide will happen next week, Zang said. An exact date has not been determined.
WTAE camera captures amazing ground-level view of demolition: Watch the video below
BLAST WAS POSTPONED
Demolition of the old bridge was originally set to occur Wednesday evening. The blast ended up being postponed by PennDOT and happened at 8 a.m. Thursday instead.
Zang said contractors thought the blast could happen by 7 p.m. Wednesday, but that target turned out to be “overly ambitious,” and they simply ran out of daylight and decided to push it back to Thursday morning. He said nothing went wrong during the process, and there was no vandalism at the site.
After debris is cleared from the area, construction crews will slide a new bridge onto the existing alignment of I-376 between the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and the Edgewood/Swissvale interchange. PennDOT officials said the project will be one of the largest lateral slide projects in Pennsylvania.
Watch the full video of PennDOT’s post-demolition news conference below
HISTORY OF THE BRIDGE
According to Historic Pittsburgh, hosted by the University of Pittsburgh Library System, the current bridge (known as the Commercial Street Bridge) began construction in April 1948. The bridge was completed in April 1951.
The old bridge has three arches with a length of 170 feet each and 12 approach spans at a length of 28 feet each. The total length of the bridge, including the longest elevated ramp, was 846 feet, and the deck had a clearance of 85 feet at the arch and a width of 68 feet.
DETOURS STILL IN PLACE
Interstate 376 remains closed between the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and the Edgewood/Swissvale interchange. The closure is currently scheduled to continue through Aug. 3.
Interstate detour westbound
- From westbound (inbound) I-376, take Exit 78B (Wilkinsburg) toward PA 8 north.
- Merge onto Route 8 (Ardmore Boulevard).
- Continue straight onto Route 8 (Penn Avenue).
- Turn left onto Fifth Avenue.
- After going through Oakland, take the ramp to the left for westbound I-376. Use caution for opposing traffic.
- Merge onto the Boulevard of the Allies and stay in the right lane to merge onto westbound I-376 toward downtown/Fort Pitt Bridge.
- Continue straight to merge onto westbound (inbound) I-376.
Interstate detour eastbound
- From eastbound (outbound) I-376, take Exit 72A (Forbes Avenue/Oakland).
- Merge onto Forbes Avenue.
- Turn left onto South Bellefield Avenue.
- Turn right onto Fifth Avenue.
- Turn right onto Route 8 (Penn Avenue).
- Bear right to continue on Route 8 (Ardmore Boulevard).
- Take the ramp to 376/22/30 toward Pittsburgh/Monroeville.
- At the split, bear left to eastbound 376/22 toward Monroeville.
- Merge onto eastbound (outbound) I-376.
Local detour westbound
- From westbound (inbound) I-376, take Exit 77 (Edgewood/Swissvale).
- At the end of the ramp, turn left onto South Braddock Avenue.
- Continue onto the Rankin Bridge.
- Turn right onto Route 837 (River Road).
- Continue onto Route 837 (Eighth Avenue).
- Turn right onto the Homestead Grays Bridge.
- Continue onto Browns Hill Road.
- Continue straight onto Beechwood Boulevard.
- Follow signs for westbound I-376 toward Pittsburgh.
- Take the ramp to westbound I-376 toward Pittsburgh.
Local detour eastbound
- From eastbound (outbound) I-376, take Exit 74A (Squirrel Hill/Homestead), continuing straight onto Beechwood Boulevard toward Homestead.
- Continue straight onto Browns Hill Road.
- Continue onto the Homestead Grays Bridge.
- Turn left onto Route 837 (Eighth Avenue).
- Continue straight on Route 837 (River Road).
- Turn left onto the Rankin Bridge.
- Continue onto South Braddock Avenue.
- Bear right to merge onto eastbound I-376 toward Monroeville.
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