Odds and ends, starting with Larry Comden, of Baldwin Borough, who wonders why PennDOT doesn't reverse one lane of the Squirrel Hill Tunnels at rush hours in order to ease congestion on the Parkway East/I-376.

"Seems like this would help," he wrote. "The Pennsylvania Turnpike does it when one of its tunnels is out of action. I'm glad I don't live in the East Hills."

This matter comes up periodically. PennDOT has always maintained there's simply too much traffic in both directions to reverse one lane in the opposite tunnel in order to provide three lanes in the direction of rush-hour flow. Outbound traffic in the morning and inbound traffic in the afternoon already slows down or backs up with two lanes available.

Also, shifting traffic at 6 a.m. and back again at 9 a.m., then at 3 p.m. and back again at 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, would be disruptive, pose a logistical nightmare and would not be practical for lots of reasons. Traffic patterns would have to be extended across the Commercial Street Bridge on the Monroeville side. And how do you adjust for the Squirrel Hill interchange on the Downtown side? If the Squirrel Hill Tunnels didn't exist, even if there were a bypass, a third tunnel, an elevated toll road or anything else that permitted an unrestricted flow of inbound Parkway East traffic in the morning, the congestion would simply be shifted elsewhere, overwhelming the Bates Street, Second Avenue, Grant Street and Stanwix Street exits.

Another suggestion: Bob Pflueger, of Moon, recommends closing the Squirrel Hill entrance ramp to the Parkway East outbound during the afternoon rush hours to help expedite traffic streaming to the suburbs.

"Why? One, the typical Pittsburgher doesn't know how to merge anyhow and, two, the typical Pittsburgher doesn't know to treat cars coming from an on-ramp with a stop sign," he e-mailed. "They brake, slow down and even wave them in instead of proceeding like they should. I'd rather have a free-flowing highway."

A good suggestion, as long as you're not one of the people who uses the Squirrel Hill on-ramp between 3 and 6 p.m. weekdays.

PennDOT toyed with the idea of "ramp metering" in the 1980s, an idea quickly shot down by outraged drivers. The plan uses traffic lights on ramps to regulate the number of vehicles entering a highway based on mainline traffic conditions.

"One thing this city needs is for someone to use their head when it comes to rush-hour traffic," Mr. Pflueger said. He gets no argument here.

Think about it: Tom Kanhofer, of Allison Park, is among people who enjoyed a reprieve from Route 28 congestion for two years while the 31st Bridge was closed for rehabilitation.

Signals at the convoluted intersection that also serves Rialto Street and River Road were adjusted to give more time to "thru" traffic.

"Now that the bridge has reopened, we're backed up between the Etna Bypass and Shaler Waterworks," he wrote. "Sometimes we're backed up to the Highland Park Bridge."

Although it's not one of the bigger river crossings in town, the two-lane 31st Street Bridge is the culprit causing the Route 28 bottlenecks, not only in the morning but in the afternoon and in between, too.

While the bridge was closed for construction in 2006 and 2007, traffic on Route 28 backed up only for short distances, if at all, despite the fact that 7,00 vehicles a day were unable to use the span.

Where do they go?

Little dig, big mess: Patrick Spino, of Ross, reports that the Port Authority and its light-rail contractors have been making a mess in the block-long Stanwix Street subway excavation zone between Fort Duquesne Boulevard and Penn Avenue.

"How on earth do they get away with turning the street into shambles, causing a dangerous condition to pedestrians and motorists alike?" he e-mailed. "I've never before witnessed an open roadway with holes, potholes, sinkholes, mud, ponding water and such an uneven road surface."

The Port Authority has replied, saying snow and freezing temperatures made it difficult to clean the area over winter, especially with dump trucks coming and going.

"The dirt has to be cleaned with water and it's more dangerous to have sidewalks and streets covered with ice than with dirt," the authority said. "While we apologize for the inconvenience, folks have to remember this is a major construction excavation site."

With a break in the weather, the authority promised to do better.

"Terrible tunnel"? Mark Davidson, of Squirrel Hill, asked if there's truth to rumors that the Port Authority plans to honor the late Myron Cope. He heard the light-rail extension being built under the Allegheny River to the North Shore was going to be named "The Terrible Tunnel."

Yoi!