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Advertisement Liberty Bridge is open again, with restrictions 3 Pittsburgh Public Schools remain on adjusted start time Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The light at the end of the tunnel (and bridge) is finally here for Pittsburgh drivers who have endured a three-week closure of the Liberty Bridge.The span, which had been closed since Sept. 2, reopened to traffic shortly after 3:30 p.m. Monday.Video: Watch Bofta Yimam's reportPennDOT District Executive Dan Cessna said temporary repairs are complete, giving officials enough confidence to reopen the bridge with a nine-ton weight limit."If the bridge wasn't safe, we wouldn't reopen it," he said.Cessna said cars, ambulances and pickup trucks may use the Liberty Bridge.The temporary weight limit will prevent buses and heavy trucks, such as tri-axle trucks, from using the bridge.PennDOT said state police will enforce the weight limit on the bridge.Permanent repairs will allow the weight limit to be lifted, but Cessna did not have a timeline for that work to be done."What we want to reassure drivers is this is a fully engineered solution that carries the full load of the bridge," Cessna said."It's only temporary in nature because the detail of the repair doesn't meet our normal repair criteria from a standpoint of the looks, but it still carries the full load." Pittsburgh Public Schools spokeswoman Ebony Pugh said Pittsburgh Brashear, Pittsburgh Carrick and Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy remain on the adjusted 7:11 AM start time.A fire broke out during a long-term construction project and damaged structural elements of the bridge, making it unsafe to bear weight.The bridge was originally scheduled to reopen Sept. 12. That date was pushed back to Sept. 19, and then postponed again.Workers have been using jacks and an external brace to stretch the damaged steel as close to its original shape as possible while heating it.Once the steel cord was reshaped, reinforcing plates will be attached to it which will bear the weight originally held up by the cord.