The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has closed the heavily traveled Parkway East outbound between the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and the Edgewood-Swissvale exit this weekend, Friday through Sunday, for a continuing repair project.

We'd like to know what motorists think about the weekend closing, and if you have any short cuts for getting around the work area.

Send your comments and detour suggestions to postscript@post-gazette.com. Please be sure to include your full name and hometown.

All this fuss about the closing of the Squirrel Hill Tunnels is just proof of our over-dependance on cars. One major road is closed and we don't know what to do! We could fix the problem permanantly by moving closer to the city. We could all take busses or trolleys and the PortAuthority would be able to run more efficiently. Higher density would make a more lively city. Pittsburgh could even be more livable! It boggles my mind that Pittsburgh is losing population, yet we keep building out further and further from the city. Again, I beg everyone to solve this problem for good. We don't need new roads, we need to change our lifestyles and repopulate the empty spaces of Pittsburgh. Otherwise you're just killing yourselves (in traffic, gas, etc) and the city we love.

Craig Toocheck, Trafford

Whatever happened to "1 lane each direction?"

The signals at the ends of the tunnels are set up for it. Why not have traffic crossover at Homestead, and then again at Swissvale? We can easily have 1 lane each way through the Squirrel Hill Tunnels. Nobody goes over 20 MPH in the tunnels anyway, so it would not be dangerous. Closing an entire Interstate Highway on a weekend when many out-of-towners will be visiting our fine city is just another example of how PennDot takes your money and answers to no one.

Dan Zunko, Reserve

A two hour detour of what is normally a seven minute trip doesn't seem like a solution to the problem of closing this piece of highway. What project planner presented this beginning on this busy weekend? My guess is that somebody went onto MapQuest and asked for directions from point A to point B while avoiding highways & suggested it as a plan for traffic. Don't these plans have to at least be presented before the local city councils or can PennDOT just plow forward with any "plans" they come up with?

Telling people in the east to just "avoid it" is like saying not to bother even trying to participate in any city activities and what of the added traffic through the east end neighborhoods and the park heavy with foot traffic?

Seriously, can't this work be done in the overnight hours or couldn't they have shifted the barriers and closed one lane in each direction down in the overnight hours?

S. Lukondi, McKeesport

What I would like to know is why in the world would you start this construction this weekend knowing of an event that has been planned since February that will bring 60 some thousand fans into the city. I as a lot of people do have $100.00 tickets for the concert this weekend. I understand there is no good time but why in the world would you not have waited till next weekend. I realize there are alternate routes but I cannot understand the news asking people to not come into the city. This is RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mary Bumbera, Monroeville

Why can't this work be done all night every night during extremely low usage times, like the turnpike does. Where did these PA dot guys get their civil engineering degrees? WalMart?

I agree that Pittsburgh should and is growing and progressing, but the brains of the city need to fix the traffic problems first before building attractions.

Mark Campagna, Mckeesport

C'mon now, people... how big a deal can this Parkway East closure be, really? The Steelers haven't whined about it yet.

Dan Skantar, Oakdale

The situation that PennDOT has created is downright ridiculous. Am I the only person who is questioning WHY they are even doing this work?

There was nothing wrong with the Parkway East!

Meanwhile, when you are forced to take alternate routes, you'll have to dodge the constant barrage of gaping potholes that are present on roads all throughout the city and county. It simply seems that this is a scenario where they basically HAD to spend the money this year, so they did it, for no reason. I live east of the squirrel hill tunnels, so I'm basically trapped in the eastern suburbs on weekends this entire summer, since even the alternate routes are filled with traffic, because everyone else is taking them. Thanks for nothing PennDOT.

Shawn, Wilkins Township

Between the Parkway East closure on one side and the U.S. Open restrictions on the other, we're trapped! And why is it called the U.S. Open?, shouldn't it be the "U.S. Closed"?

You can't get there from here -- you can't drive on the streets or park within a mile of Oakmont, if you work near the country club, you have to park miles away and ride a shuttle to work.

Forget about the Arts Festival, the Pirate game or visiting my parents in Moon Township (it's easier to get to my niece's in West Chester, PA!!!)

My plan is to stock up at the grocery store, make a stop at the beer distributor, fill up my gas tank, make sure my cell phone is charged, call in sick and hunker down!!!

Jean E. DeSabato, Plum

If PennDOT took an entire lane from Parkway East and placed light rail atop of it, no one would have any excuses to not get out of their cars between downtown and the East. Instead, for more money than a 15-mile light rail system, we will build a 200-meter tunnel under a river that no one will use but on 100-game days/year, and a sad few at that. Take the bus, you say, well, the timetable for the express bus to go that 15miles is 1:06minutes. You can't get there from here.

Bob Conway, Monroeville

Being a resident of the Waterfront it seems that I have two options this weekend (Along with seven other times this year); hide indoors and don't leave the Waterfront area or venture out and sit in traffic burning up my $3 a gallon gas. This announcement only heightened my annoyance of PennDOT after my tempers flared last weekend when I find the Squirrel Hill exit closed with no signs warning me in advance, adding another 20 minutes on top of my trip home.

As I have plans this weekend it looks like I will be braving the sea of cars hoping that my alternate routes will be undiscovered by the majority of people. Normally I would hold these gems in secrecy, guarding them from public knowledge. This weekend though is a bit different, it is going to be a nightmare for everyone. The PennDOT detour is going to back up for hours being the main route for trucks as well as the Oakland traffic lights. The Post Gazette alternate route is good, but you still have to drive the entire way on 376 to get to the Squirrel Hill exit, who knows how long traffic will back up from both the Oakland and Squirrel Hill exits.

So, I am risking it to help my fellow Pittsburghers, I offer the following alternates to make it around the Squirrel Hill tunnels this weekend:

The key to the alternate routes? Grant Street. Get off 376 as soon as possible. Don't even risk the chance of being able to get to the Squirrel Hill exits without running into traffice jam. Take a right onto 1st Ave, quick left onto Ross St. and then another right onto 2nd Ave under the overpass. Stick with 2nd Avenue (laughing at all the people who are stuck on 376 to your left), until you reach the Hot Metal Bridge. Here is where you need to make a choice, take the Post Gazette alternate route, or keep going around everyone to the Edgewood/Swissvale on ramp to 376?

To get to the Post Gazette route, continue going on 2nd Ave past the Hot Metal Bridge, turn left onto Greenfield Ave and head up the hill. Make a left onto Ronald St. then go down to the traffic light and make a right onto Beechwood Blvd where you can merge back onto the Squirrel Hill exit and follow the Post Gazette Directions.

Otherwise, head over the Hot Metal Bridge into the South Side turning left onto Carson St. Follow the blue belt (Isn't that what they are for? Alternate routes around to evacuate the city?) and signs for 837 to the Waterfront and Kennywood. This will take you through Homestead and to the Rankin Bridge. Turn left over the Rankin Bridge, now following the Green Belt and Braddock Ave. which will take you past the Edgewood Town Center and back onto 376.

Hopefully this will help some of you save some time this weekend.

Michael Smith, Munhall

I was born and raised in the Munhall/Homestead area. My grandfather used to be a truck driver for the steel mills, and in the 70's talked about a proposed bypass to the Squirrel Hill tunnel. Now known as the Mon-Fayette Expressway, PA43 and PA576 would be this proposed bypass.

Of course, more is talked about the price tag of the MFE, and the disruption of lives in the areas which it would run. No one remembers the daily aggravation of traveling a highway which was deemed outdated the day it opened. Everyone will forget about the recent bomb scare that closed the tunnel and its counterparts last week. I now live in the North Hills where there is adequate movement on major arteries to keep from feeling claustrophobic.

Let's keep building shopping centers without figuring out how the traffic will affect the limits of the current network. Until the Pittsburgh metro area starts thinking of itself as one instead of the 130+ mini governments that hold this county in check, we will always be behind the other bigger cities in progress and transportation is a key element to this.

Ed Szuba, Emsworth

Here's a suggestion for avoiding the Parkway East delays and spillover delays onto Braddock Ave., Penn Ave., and Forbes Ave.: Ride a bicycle!

There are a number of residential street routes that can get you from the East End to most central city neighborhoods or downtown in about the same amount of time as a car trip takes. Plus, if you don't take your car, you've helped reduce the traffic struggling to creep through the detours and closed lanes, which benefits everyone.

Average travel speed for a bicycle in city traffic is about 10 miles per hour, so a 5 mile journey (roughly the distance from Frick Park to the Point) should take you about a half hour door-to-door. For insider information on good routes for bicycling in Pittsburgh, check out www.bike-pgh.org or www.bikely.com.

Mac Howison, Swissvale

I was wondering why Pittsburgh was voted "Most Livable City" again. Now I know. It's the most livable because due to the amount of construction, those of us living here can't get out!!

Matt Kiesling, Bethel Park

I've been away for Pittsburgh for a year, but I still read the Post-Gazette online on a regular basis. It's the season of traffic cones, so I extend my sympathies to anyone driving through The Burgh this weekend (or any weekend this summer).

As a South Hills/Washington County native who worked Downtown and in the eastern suburbs, I prefer using the state roadways and belt system. My suggested outbound detour from Downtown to Edgewood/Swissvale involves crossing the Mon a few times, but it's a nice drive through the Steel Valley.

From town, follow the Parkway East to the Second Avenue/Bates Street exit. Take Second Avenue through Hazelwood and cross the Glenwood Bridge. From here, follow signs for PA 837 North and follow it past Sandcastle and through Homestead and Munhall. Pass (or drive through) the Waterfront and take the Rankin Bridge back across the Mon and onto S. Braddock Avenue which takes you into the Edgewood/Swissvale area.

Chris Keefer, Blythewood, SC
(formerly of Elrama, Monongahela, and Green Tree)

Hey! Stop giving away my secret detours! Bad enough you can't get anywhere from my neighborhood -- Regent Square -- now that traffic is backed up at all times every weekend on Forbes and Braddock because of the highway construction.

The South Side isn't safe either, because there's construction at the Hot Metal Bridge and it takes forever to get through the light. If you live in Oakland and work in the South Side you might as well find another job -- at least until they open that nice bike bridge that they're building.

I do have some nice bikes. Maybe I can manage a car-free weekend.

Erin Kelly, Pittsburgh

Hopefully all of the golfer's and sponsors/caddies have been notified and are either flying in or being shuttled in to Arnold Palmer's airport or else this may be the last time that Oakmont holds this prestigious event. I can only imagine the feedback this city will get for the hours of traffic abuse attendees to this event arriving over the weekend will have. This should have been taken into consideration long ago and all work cancelled for the next two weekends.

Mike Rossetti, Pitcairn

I think it is very irresponsible of PENNDOT to cause large traffic delays the way gas prices are right now. It is also irresponsible to be working on several projects in the same region. Some of the alternate routes have detours themselves.

I think it is very unsafe to be diverting traffic into communities during the summer months when children are out of school and outside playing.

Bob Gentile, Greenfield

Welcome to Pittsburgh for all golfers and visitors flying in on the weekend. The closure will back the Parkway west to 79 at least.

David McGuinness, Monroeville

Taking our grandsons to their first Pirate game turned into a minor nightmare when we traveled west on 376 Saturday evening. We got off the turnpike at 5:50 thinking we had plenty of time to make the start of the 7:05 game. More than an hour and a half later we arrived at the game in the middle of the third inning.

Although a native of Pittsburgh, I am from the North Hills and knew of no alternative to get to the game once we were on 376. The alert to tune to 1640am needed to be earlier on the turnpike instead of right before the Monroeville exit and if possible should include a possible alternative route to Downtown.

If I had had enough warning I think we would have continued on to Allegheny Valley exit and traveled down 28.

Susan Nichols, Lost River, W.Va.

Pittsburghers always give directions by landmarks that are gone. So here's a Parkway East detour, Pittsburgh style:

Get off the Parkway at the Squirrel Hill exit, turn left on Forward

Avenue, and go past where Poli's and the gas station used to be.

Keep going on Forward into the valley beneath where the slag heap used to be.

Turn left on Whipple Street, turn left on Monongehela, then get back on the Parkway at the exit where Union Switch and Signal used to be.

Hopefully traffic won't get backed up past where J&L used to be or Westinghouse used to be.

Nancy Ott, Aspinwall

After spending over an hour to get from just past the Swissvale exit to Oakland after midnight on a Friday a few weeks ago, I recommend total avoidance of the Parkway East on the weekends. This is just a ridiculous situation, the left lane was shut down from before the Squirrel Hill tunnel when the only work being done (the only place with people working) was near the Oakland exit with long stretches of the left lane inside the tunnel and after it closed for no apparent reason.

A major cause of delay seems to be Pittsburgh drivers' refusal to get over to the right lane in a timely manner. I think I wasted an extra half hour at least by being trapped in the right lane (which I merged to at the first sign that said to do so, rather than at the very last minute like everyone else, guess I forgot where I was).

Jane Stoltman, Plum

I wanted to relay this story. This past weekend I was traveling the Parkway East in an attempt to go work at my weekend job in Squirrel Hill. I had to go through the Squirrel Hill Tunnels due to the Squirrel Hill exit being closed. Upon exiting the tunnels there were no detour signs, so I chanced it and took the Swissvale Exit and low and behold I see a detour sign.

I followed these signs and they directed me onto the Parkway West. I figured I would take the outbound Squirrel Hill Tunnel exit, but this was closed too!! While sitting in traffic on the Parkway West I asked a State Trooper how I could get to Squirrel Hill and he told me "take the Bates Street Exit." The problem was I didn't see a Bates Street exit. I ended up getting back on the Parkway East, going through the tunnels and then calling my employer to direct me while I was driving.

The point of this story is that Penn Dot needs to mark the detours better. I would welcome any/all suggestions in avoiding this again.

Kathy Daniels, Troy Hill