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Fay, S&B USA Construction (Fay) recently won a high-profile $95 million project that will be replacing the I-376 Commercial Street Bridge using Accelerated Bridge Construction techniques. The bridge lies between the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and the Edgewood/Swissvale interchange (Exit 77), providing a vital connection between the eastern suburbs and the central business district.

This project spans over two major conservation efforts: Frick Park and Nine Mile Run. In order to protect these natural attractions, Fay is taking several precautionary measures to limit the impact to the project site and restore it to its original state once the project is complete. The design for the new bridge was created in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Protection, and a plan was developed to ensure that proper mitigation measures are maintained throughout the project to protect both the park and stream.

During construction, the Nine Mile Run trail will be temporarily relocated for the safety of pedestrians, as the original trail is located in the middle of the active work zone. Commercial Street, the road beneath the bridge, is also being relocated to accommodate the temporary foundation of the new bridge, which will be built directly next to the current bridge. This prevents traffic from being affected by the project until 2026, when the bridge will be temporarily shut down, demolished, and the new bridge will be slid into place. An orange fence surrounds the active work zone for both worker and park-goer safety, and a cover will be placed to protect pedestrians and bikers from overhead debris once steel is ready to be erected.

Along the stream’s 100-year flood plain, compost filter socks have been installed. These are filled with wood chips to prevent sediment from entering the water, and they also filter out pollutants. Additionally, a small bridge has been temporarily installed to allow equipment to cross the stream without tracking through it. This structure will remain until fall of 2025, when it will be replaced with a temporary causeway during the construction of the new bridge, the demolition of the old, and the slide.

The majority of the trees removed during the clearing and grubbing process have been repurposed into brush piles for animals to habitate until trees can be replanted after the project is finished. In total, Fay will be planting over 5,000 trees and shrubs—well over the amount that was originally cleared from the site.

To learn more about this project, you can visit Fay’s website, or check out our series of videos about the project on our LinkedIn page.