McLaughlin Run Bridge Closes for Repairs

The McLaughlin Run Road bridge is scheduled to close Wednesday morning and local residents and nearby businesses are leery about how it will affect them.

Construction to widen the bridge and move a sewer pipe is expected to take about six months. The state Department of Transportation has posted detours around the area between Upper St. Clair and Bridgeville, but motorists will still be able to drive on McLaughlin Run Road up until the bridge.

Local store owners along the road are bracing for the closure while stressing that they will remain open for business.

Kathy Philson, who owns Glad Raggs Boutique in Upper St. Clair, recently spoke to PennDOT engineers about changing detour signage so customers don’t think the entire road is closed to traffic.

“I feel a little better, but I’m still concerned that people will think it’s the entire road,” Philson said. “It will kill a little business like ours. But I’m hopeful it will be fine.”

Molly Snatchko, a part-owner of , said they made detour signs and posted them around Bridgeville so customers will still know how to get to the restaurant.

“We’re worried about it,” Snatchko said. “A lot of people say they know their way around, but I’m sure some people might not be as familiar. Some people are asking if the businesses around here will still be open.”

Meanwhile, residents from Upper St. Clair and Bridgeville have been grumbling about the traffic congestion the closure may create.

Jack Conroy, who works at JC Williamson Building and lives in Bridgeville, said he knows most of the alternate routes and gave tips to some of his coworkers who drive Interstate 79 and get off at the Bridgeville exit. But he added that it will probably force more traffic onto Chartiers and Bank streets near his home.

“I know all of the back roads around here,” Conroy said. “Bank Street is always a pain during rush hour. I’m thinking it’s going to be worse when everyone’s going that way.”

The official posted detour will take motorists on Bower Hill Road to Painters Run to McMillan Road and back onto McLaughlin Run. Bridgeville police Chief Chad King said his officers will monitor which roads are used the most during the closure and make adjustments as they see fit.