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Thursday, August 08, 2002

By Joe Grata, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

In addition to reopening the inbound Parkway East ramp to the Fort Duquesne Bridge this morning, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is restoring some other traffic patterns sure to delight drivers.

After meetings with city police and traffic engineers, PennDOT announced these changes, all in time for tonight's Pittsburgh Steelers game at Heinz Field and the four-day Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta:

McArdle Roadway will be reopened downhill from Mount Washington to the Liberty Bridge and Liberty Tunnels.

All traffic patterns will be restored on what's known as Lower McArdle Roadway, between the Liberty Bridge and Arlington Avenue.

Pre-construction traffic patterns will be restored on the Liberty Bridge, including full-time opening of the Sixth Avenue ramp in the outbound direction.

All the changes, including Parkway East access to the Fort Duquesne Bridge, were to have been made by 6 a.m. today. The closings and restrictions have been in place since April 6, when PennDOT closed the outbound Fort Pitt Bridge and Tunnel for the first phase of an $84.2 million rehabilitation that will conclude next year when the inbound lanes are rebuilt

Police officers will be stationed at the Liberty Bridge and McArdle Roadway from 6 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m. to direct traffic during peak periods. Traffic signals will be used to control the intersection at other times.

Existing restrictions at the south interchange of the Liberty Tunnels will remain in place, along with those at the intersections of Route 51 at Warrington and Crane avenues, while the inbound Parkway East (Interstate 376) ramp onto the Fort Pitt Bridge is restricted to a single lane. The Liberty Bridge and Route 51 North are options for getting around Fort Pitt traffic.

The ramp from the inbound Parkway East to the Fort Duquesne Bridge was closed Aug. 1, the same day PennDOT opened one lane of the ramp from the parkway to the Fort Pitt Bridge. Because the Fort Pitt Bridge also became part of the detour for the Fort Duquesne Bridge ramp, parkway traffic had been backing up every day -- usually to the Second Avenue exit and sometimes farther.

Two lanes will now be open, at least on weekdays; however, closings and restrictions will still be put into effect overnight some days so that wrapup work can be completed and because a separate project is taking place nearby -- reconstruction of Fort Pitt Boulevard eastbound.

Joe Grata can be reached at jgrata@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1985.