Reminder: Portion of Route 65 in Pittsburgh Closes Tonight

If you're planning on traveling Route 65 in Pittsburgh you might want to allow for extra travel time.

The road will be closed in both directions for more than four months, beginning at 7 p.m. tonight if weather permits. Several ramp restrictions also will occur.

The closing will remain in effect through late November 2011, according to PennDOT.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman Jim Struzzi said traffic will be detoured using the on-and-off ramps to Beaver and California avenues. Struzzi said lanes in both directions will be narrowed to single lanes prior to exiting on the two detours.

Struzzi said crews plan to rehabilitate the mainline Route 65 bridges at the interchange.

The following will occur:

• Northbound and southbound Route 65 long-term closure July 15 to mid-November.

Struzzi said the $20 million project is the second phase of improvements at the Route 65/Marshall Avenue interchange.

Phase II work will rehabilitate the mainline and ramp structures, including deck replacement, steel repairs, cleaning and painting structural steel, highway lighting and other improvements.

Struzzi said on average about 12,961 northbound vehicles and 13,056 southbound vehicles travel daily on Route 65 in the area of the Marshall Avenue interchange.

The primary contractor is the Walsh Construction Co.

Motorists can log on to 511pa.com or call 511 to check traffic conditions on most major roadways before traveling.