A common issue with bridge rehabilitation projects is the impact on the nearby traffic and community. To combat the necessary and lengthy detour vehicles would have to endure during rehabilitation, ms developed an innovative solution that minimized traffic impact on the public and the adjacent town of Boston, by keeping the bridge open during weekdays. Throughout the bridge rehabilitation, pedestrian traffic was also maintained through most of the construction schedule.

Located near Pittsburgh, the Boston Bridge carries S.R. 48 over the Youghiogheny River in Versailles Borough and Elizabeth Townships. S.R. 48 is a two-lane roadway with a sidewalk on each side of the bridge. In addition to the deck replacement, including stringers and expansion dams, the Boston Bridge project details also included:

• Rehabilitation of existing steel cantilever through-truss and twin girder approach spans, ranging from 60 to 107 feet long
• Replacement of the drainage system and bearings
• Reuse of the existing decorative bridge railing to maintain the look and feel of the original bridge
• Upgrading approximately 200 feet of roadway on each side of the bridge