The 28th Street Bridge was constructed in its current form in 1931 on piers from the original structure c1890. In recent years, the bridge has seen restrictions to its vehicle loading and an increased frequency of maintenance and inspection.

The purpose of the project is to address these restrictions to the 28th Street Bridge, which carries traffic over Norfolk Southern Railroad and the Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) East Busway, in a way that provides a safe transportation facility that accommodates all modes of traffic (vehicular, truck, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian).

The main span truss is considered a historic example of a riveted Parker Through Truss bridge. The other spans of the bridge are not recognized as historically significant. The proposed project aims to repair and extend the life of the historic truss, while also modernizing the overall bridge for the 21st century.

The City of Pittsburgh's Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) is nearing the completion of the preliminary phase of engineering of the comprehensive rehabilitation project for the 28th Street Bridge. Over the past few years, the project consultants have gathered site data and defined the project design criteria and purpose. The team has completed all requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 such as a Historic Bridge Rehabilitation Analysis Report and Determination of Effect Report. Preliminary plans have been drafted and reviewed by DOMI and PennDOT to ensure they meet safety goals and current design standards. The Team has met with the various utility companies in the area and continue to coordinate the proposed work with them. Maintenance and protection of traffic and pedestrians during construction have been discussed and proposed detours developed.

DOMI continues to coordinate construction schedules and proposed work with other projects in planning and design within the Strip District neighborhood in an effort to reduce impacts to the traveling public.

On Tuesday, September 12, 2023 the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) introduced the 28th Street Bridge project to the public and officials during the Strip District Mobility Open House. You can view the project slides below.