Lokay Lane by Jim Lokay

Parkway East Weekend Update - 10/9-10/11

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:59:39 GMT

As the weekend nears, here's what's going on along the Parkway East corridor (courtesy of PennDOT):

Inbound:

One lane open between Plum (new exit #84B) and Churchill (new exit #79B) from 9 P.M. Friday night through 5 A.M. Monday morning for paving work.
Also, the inbound on-ramps to the Parkway East from Rodi Road will be closed at various intervals during the same time. They will have detour signs posted to the on-ramp at Business 22.
But wait! That's not all! The off-ramp at Penn Hills will also see sporadic closures through the weekend. Follow the signs to Business 22, Beulah Road, and the ramps to the outbound Parkway East to get to Penn Hills.
And Penn Hills won't be the only area that will see closures. The ramps from Mosside Boulevard (Route 48) to the inbound Parkway East will be closed throughout parts of the weekend. If they're closed, you'll have to head down Business 22 into Wilkins and re-join the Parkway East from there.

There is some good news, though. No outbound closures are scheduled. PennDOT had planned on some outbound bridge work near Churchill, but that has been canceled.

Weekend Construction Summary

Fri, 08 May 2009 13:09:29 GMT

Ready for a busy weekend on the roads? Parkway West outbound CLOSED from 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday This will affect traffic from I-79 to Routes 22/30. Traffic to be detoured onto I-79 northbound to Route 60, then onto Steubenville Pike before rejoining 22/30. Parkway East outbound LANE CLOSURES this weekend during morning hours Crews will be performing utility work. Saturday, May 9: 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.: Right and center lanes closed; single left lane remains open, 9 a.m. to noon: Single right lane closure only; left and center lanes open. Sunday, May 10: 6 a.m. to noon: Single left lane closure only; right and center lanes open Parkway North inbound and outbound LANE CLOSURES this weekend Crews will be patching concrete and paving the roadway Inbound: Single lane closure (one lane open) from 7 p.m. on Friday to 4 p.m. on Sunday; concrete patching will occur. Outbound: Single lane closure (one lane open) from midnight on Friday to 5 p.m. on Saturday; asphalt paving will occur -->-->--> For up-to-date Real Time Traffic this weekend, check out http://www.kdka.com. Also, please share any traffic news/cell phone pictures via Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/jimlokay (@jimlokay is my handle.)

Route 60 to I-376

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:51:16 GMT

Someone asked me this while I was away, and it's a good opportunity to get this blog moving again.

When will Route 60 officially become I-376?

As many of you know, in 2005, the federal government signed off on a plan to re-designate about 90 miles of highway as "Interstate 376." That's because as things stand right now, while there is a straight shot from the city to Pittsburgh International Airport, drivers actually travel across four differently named roads:

I-376 from the Squirrel Hill Tunnel to the Fort Pitt Bridge.
I-279 from the Fort Pitt Bridge to the I-79 junction.
State Routes 22/30 from I-79 towards Robinson Town Center.
State Route 60 from RTC towards the airport.

When the change was announced in October 2005, Congressman Tim Murphy summed it up best.

"Well, you get on I-376, get on 22/30, I-279, and 60, and the person says, "Do I turn?", and you say no!"

One road, four names. You have to love bureaucracy. Therefore, the change makes sense. In fact, the plans won't just mean a new name for the stretch from downtown to the airport. They'll rename Route 60 north all the way towards Interstate 80 in Mercer County.

The problem is that the entire stretch of the future I-376 doesn't necessary pass interstate muster. Sections of the road have been rebuilt to federal standards, but others are not -- or in the process of being upgraded.

The original plan was to have the signs up by 2009, and that could still happen. However, the law says after the announcement, the state can take up to 25 years to meet all necessary requirements.

So hang tight, it's coming -- sooner or later.

Parkway East News

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:07:45 GMT

Good news: outbound on-ramps at Forest Hills and Wilkinsburg are back open after more than two months.

Bad news: inbound Parkway East closes altogether this weekend. It re-opens Monday morning.

Rough Weekend On The Way....

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:46:56 GMT

It's going to be a big mess on the roads this weekend....

The Parkway East inbound will be CLOSED all weekend long, and there will be a lane closure down the road near the Birmingham Bridge on Saturday.

The Parkway West will have some lane closures.

The Parkway North outbound will shift the HOV lanes.

Watch the morning news tomorrow for more details!

Updates!

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:33:14 GMT

By popular demand, here's a status report on some major arteries:

1. PARKWAY EAST - work continues during off-peak hours on rehab work from Churchill to Edgewood/Swissvale, although Churchill section looks to be resurfaced at long last. Work was suspended over the weekend, and I suspect it will be for Labor Day Weekend as well.

2. PARKWAY WEST - crews continue rehabbing Greentree Road overpass. Single lane closures happened during off-peak hours, and work will continue through the fall.

3. PARKWAY NORTH - inbound reconstruction continues. The big shift to the HOV lanes is expected to continue through mid-September. I'll believe it when I see it! However, there's still the issue of the HOV lanes being closed into downtown, starting at Venture Street. PennDOT seems to be content at keeping things status quo, although I'll keep you posted.

4. BOULEVARD OF THE ALLIES - bridge construction continues through November at the earliest. Forbes Avenue restrictions were lifted about a week ago, finally giving drivers an extra lane into Oakland. This change really did alleviate some spillover onto the Parkway East outbound lanes.

What else is vexing you? Let me know!

Big Ramp Closure Alert!

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:21:37 GMT

Driving in this morning, I saw the big message board flashing a message I knew was coming -- but not this soon!

On Friday, PennDOT is shutting down the ramp connecting the Boulevard of the Allies to Crosstown Boulevard/I-579 North. Essentially, if you use that exit, if you're not thinking ahead, you'll end up on the Liberty Bridge!

More information is forthcoming, I'm sure, as well as a status update on the Parkway North HOV lanes. Sure, we'd all like to see them opened, but remember, it's only the prelude to a much larger construction project.

And if you were watching the morning show today, Happy Air Quality Action Day!

Parkway East Work On The Way

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:30:48 GMT

Here's what to expect on the Parkway East so far this weekend:

- Single lane patterns in effect on the outbound side from Edgewood-Swissvale to Monroeville starting Friday night at 9 p.m. through Monday morning. (Essentially, if you're going to the Pirates/Padres series this weekend, get ready for headaches leaving town unless you have another route.)

- Ramps to the outbound Parkway at Forest Hills and Wilkinsburg are closed for reconstruction. (I drove past them the other day, and they are literally being torn up and rebuilt.)

What's On Tap This Weekend

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:12:36 GMT

If you're wondering how you should change your weekend plans, look no further.

Through this week, PennDOT is planning to do work on the shoulders only -- therefore, no overnight lane closures are expected.

However, PennDOT does confirm outbound work is on the way this coming weekend. Specifics will be released later in the week.

Here's the official schedule from PennDOT:

July 14-18:

· No mainline work is scheduled.

· Daylight shoulder closures from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in both directions of the Parkway East from the Squirrel Hill tunnel to Monroeville (Exit 10B). Crews will be installing signs and conduit.

· Shoulder closures will occur from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on various ramps at the Churchill interchange (Exit 9) and Wilkinsburg interchange (Exit 8). Crews will be patching concrete on the shoulders.

A Fresh Coat

Wed, 07 May 2008 15:29:11 GMT

You don't like yellow paint on your car, do you?

Good. Neither do I.

That being said, you'll have to watch out for the paint trucks. PennDOT says it will start repainting lines on many local roads, including the Parkways East and West, I-79, and the Crosstown (I-579.)

The work is slated to happen daily between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Here's what to expect, according to a PennDOT release:

PennDOT urges motorists to exercise caution and patience, and suggests allowing at least 250 feet (13 car lengths) behind line painting equipment to avoid damage. Motorists should avoid passing the paint vehicles unless directed by a paint crew member or flag person to do so. Passing too quickly can cause damage to fresh paint lines and may result in paint on the motorist’s vehicle. Line painting vehicles normally pull over every two and one-half miles or when safety permits. Recent technological advancements on the mix of formulas have produced fast dry paints that are dry to the touch within 2 to 3 minutes. It is crucial to stay off these lines during the curing period.

Motorists who accidentally get paint on their vehicles should immediately wash the paint off with a high-pressure water stream and detergent. Dried paint can be removed with de-natured alcohol and a soft cloth. Generally, PennDOT is not responsible for paint on vehicles.

I have a feeling we'll be running into some paint-related mishaps through the work period, which continues through June.