Even as work begins Monday on the Lowries Run Bridge in Emsworth, weight limits will severely limit traffic across another bridge in the borough.

Borough officials were informed Wednesday that the Port Authority bridge along Center Avenue had been inspected recently and “structural deficiencies” discovered. As a result, a 5 ton weight limit will be posted on Friday, May 14.

That weight limit will affect not only Port Authority buses, but firetrucks, school buses and other large vehicles, none of which will be able to cross the bridge.

Emsworth and Avonworth School District officials were still waiting to hear on Thursday exactly what changes would have to be made to accommodate the traffic restrictions.

One event that definitely will be impacted is the Memorial Day parade, which begins in Emsworth and crosses the bridge into Ben Avon. Emsworth secretary Cathy Jones said that she had asked the Port Authority if the limits could be delayed, and had been told absolutely not.

According to Heather Pharo of the Port Authority, buses will continue to cross the bridge through the end of service on Friday, although the weight limit will be in effect once it is posted sometime on Friday.

Two Port Authority bus routes will be affected, the 17B Avalon via Shadeland Avenue, and the 19L Emsworth Limited.

The 17B inbound to Pittsburgh will travel from Ohio River Boulevard onto Walliston Avenue,then onto Center, Hazelwood and back to Route 65, turning off on Beaver Avenue and traveling up Dalzell and back to the main street.

Discontinued 17B inbound stops are on Center Avenue at Walliston, Greenwood, Pennsylvania, Orchard, North and Locust, and on Church Avenue at Miller (nearside), opposite Vista, opposite Plumer, at Rostrevor, Hilands and Dalzell (nearside).

New inbound stops include Walliston at Center, Center at Hazelwood, Ohio River Boulevard opposite Allegheny, opposite Orchard and opposite Camp Horne Road, and Dalzell at Church.

Outbound, the 17B will leave Church Avenue at Forest in Ben Avon, travel to Brighton Road and then Ohio River Boulevard, where it will continue until it turns up Walliston in Emsworth and returns to its regular route along Center Avenue.

Discontinued outbound stops are on Church at Breading, Dalzell and Perrysville, and on Center at Plumer, Vista, opposite Miller, Locust, North, Church, Pennsylvania, Allegheny and Walliston.

New 17B outbound stops will be located on Ohio River Boulevard at Beaver, Camp Horne, Orchard and

The new routes and stops also will apply to the 19L Emsworth Limited.

Taking to Ohio River Boulevard to avoid Emsworth’s main street won’t help much. The bridge over Lowries Run is expected to be decreased to a single lane of traffic in each direction beginning Monday, as work is scheduled to begin on the replacement of the span.

The bridge will remain open to some traffic at all times, but single lanes will be limited to a 10-feet width. Detours will be posted for vehicles that exceed the width limit.

A new bridge is expected to be in place by this fall. The $2.9 million PennDOT replacement project is being handled by Lane Construction Company of Pittsburgh.

PennDOT estimates that some 20,000 vehicles travel Route 65 every day.