Phone & Wi-Fi/Wired Interruptions Scheduled for July 29
On Wednesday, July 29, between 8:00 p.m. and midnight, main campus and regional locations may experience one or more brief interruptions, typically around 15 minutes, affecting PittNet Wi-Fi, wired connectivity, telephony and related network services, such as internet access to cloud providers and external resources, as well as remote access via GlobalProtect VPN. MyResNet Wi-Fi will not be impacted.
Each window was scheduled to minimize disruption to campus operations. The team will monitor all maintenance and post updates to status.pitt.edu if significant changes or delays occur. If any of these windows conflict with a critical activity in your area, or if you experience issues or have questions, please submit a ticket to the Technology Help Desk or call 412-624-HELP (4357).
Important potential impacts to emergency callers
Emergency calls to the Pitt Police at 412-624-2121, as well as regional campus emergency numbers, may be affected during this window. If a call to Pitt Police does not connect, hang up and dial 911. Visit Pitt Digital's status page for updates regarding this scheduled upgrade.
Construction Alert: Fifth and Ruskin Avenues
July 17, 2026 - 11:50 a.m.
Road and sidewalk closures along Fifth and Ruskin Avenues in support of the new first-year residence hall construction have begun. Throughout the project, Ruskin Avenue will be restricted to one lane of traffic between Fifth Avenue and the loading dock for Clapp and Langley Halls. Motorists will only be able to travel south from Bigelow Boulevard; the northbound lane from Fifth Avenue will be closed. Fencing has been placed around the site, with the sidewalks along Ruskin and Fifth Avenues being closed to pedestrian access.
Everyone traveling through the area should follow all posted detours and signage. Pedestrians should cross at the nearest crosswalk in advance of the closure; please do not walk in the road to avoid crossing. Do not enter or cross through the construction site. These closures are expected to change as the project progresses. Additional updates will be shared on Planning, Design and Construction's website.
July 15 Update: Commercial Street Bridge Replacement
As part of the Commercial Street Bridge Replacement project, pedestrians in Oakland should be aware that the timing of the lights along Forbes Avenue and Fifth Avenue has been extended. If you are waiting for the "walk" sign at intersections along both Forbes and Fifth, you will experience longer delays. For your safety, you should still only cross at designated crosswalks when given the appropriate signal to do so and only after you've checked to make sure no traffic is coming through the intersection.
Visit our transportation & walking safety page for additional tips. For project updates or sign up for Parkway East alerts: pa.gov/CommercialStBridge and for real-time traffic updates: 511PA.com.
UPDATE 7/27/2026 @3:20PM
The Parkway East will reopen this evening at 8pm. Commercial Street will remain closed for crews to clear debris.
Plan Ahead: Commercial Street Bridge Replacement
May 27, 2026
PennDOT will replace the aging Commercial Street Bridge on I-376 Parkway East to improve safety and mobility for Pittsburgh commuters. To complete this work efficiently, Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques will be used, requiring a full closure of I-376 Parkway East for approximately 25 consecutive days.
Closure Details:
- Where: I-376 between Squirrel Hill Tunnel and Edgewood/Swissvale (Exit 77)
- When: July 10 – August 3, 2026* (*dates subject to change)
Pitt students, faculty and staff at the Pittsburgh campus should expect heavy delays and significant congestion due to potential impacts to the Oakland area, as both Forbes and Fifth Avenues are being utilized for the Interstate Detour.
Detour Map Overview
Interstate and Local Detour
Stay Informed:
- Dial 511 or download the 511PA mobile app
- For real-time traffic updates: 511PA.com
- For project updates or sign up for Parkway East alerts: pa.gov/CommercialStBridge
PRT University Line Project News Release: New Traffic Patterns on Fifth Avenue to Begin Next Week
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (April 29, 2026) - Motorists traveling through Oakland and Uptown will see new traffic patterns on Fifth Avenue beginning next week as construction continues on Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s University Line project.
The updated traffic configuration will be in place through the end of June as crews shift work zones and begin the next phase of roadway and sidewalk reconstruction.
Between Bellefield Avenue and Craft Avenue, current construction will wrap up on May 5. Traffic will then shift to the right, with three lanes remaining open while the two left lanes – including the former counterflow lane - close. This will allow crews to rebuild the roadway and sidewalks and prepare for the future two-way bike lane.
Further along Fifth Avenue – from Craft Avenue to Kirkpatrick Street – traffic will be reduced to a single through lane, with a second lane designated for turns onto the Birmingham Bridge. At the same time, construction will move to the south side of the street as crews begin sidewalk and roadway reconstruction in that section.
Work hours are scheduled for 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with overnight milling and paving operations taking place between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. Weekend work may occur as needed, and all construction activities are weather dependent.
For more details and weekly updates, visit rideprt.org/brt or check out the PRT News Hub.
