Oct 8, 2013 1 min read

The state Department of Transportation will close Route 21 at the Masontown Bridge Saturday morning to allow crews to demolish the piers of the old bridge.

The road is tentatively scheduled to be closed between 7 a.m. and noon, said Valerie Petersen, PennDOT spokeswoman. The detour will take traffic on Route 21, Route 88, Route 40 and Route 166.

PennDOT demolished the steel superstructure of the old bridge Sept. 28, using explosives to drop the metal framework into the Monongahela River. The piers also will be demolished with explosives though in a much less spectacular fashion, Petersen said.

Restrictions also will be in place for boats on the river during the pier demolition.

Following the demolition of steel superstructure of the old bridge, traffic was diverted to the completed half of the new bridge that was constructed next to the old bridge.

Once the piers are demolished on the old bridge, the contractor will begin building the second half of the new bridge in its place.

The new four-lane bridge is expected to be completed in late 2014. The Brayman Construction Co. is the contractor on the $49.6 million bridge replacement project. It began work on the project early last year.