The construction of Interstate 579 (I-579) through Pittsburgh, PA, more than 60 years ago separated the Hill District from the downtown. With the help of federal grant money from the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program, the Urban Open Space Cap project creates a new modern park with room for outdoor events and reconnects the disenfranchised district to the city’s economic core.

The I-579 project functions as a “cap” over the interstate that provides a walkable link from the Hill District to the downtown. The new park includes art installations, story walls, outdoor classroom space, and an amphitheater, as well as bike and pedestrian pathways.

In the latest case study from the PCI Mid-Atlantic Chapter, see how the project team developed first-of-its-kind criteria to meet the complex demands associated with the intended use of the park area. They evaluated both the final in-service condition of the bridge and the construction loadings associated with placing the fill and amenities on the bridge.