Saturday, December 20, 2003

By Joe Grata, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

People are lining up in favor of a less-expensive plan for reconstructing the two-mile stretch of Route 28 between the North Side and Millvale.

"It would create an attractive gateway to the city rather than an uninspiring highway with ugly retaining walls," said Steve Shivak, president of Troy Hill Citizens Inc., which represents homeowners atop the steep hillside abutting Route 28.

The alternative plan resembles an urban boulevard, in contrast to a half-dozen plans offered by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation that are mainly cookie-cutter expressway engineering.

	Online Graphic: Comparing Rt. 28 plans

It is being paid for and developed on behalf of the Riverlife Task Force by Vollmer Associates, known nationally for creating environmentally friendly highway projects.

Since Vollmer and the Riverlife Task Force disclosed the concept four months ago, the plan has gained momentum.

Lisa Schroeder, executive director of the task force, released a list of people and groups who have written PennDOT Secretary Al Biehler and District 11 executive Ray Hack to endorse it.

In addition to Troy Hill Citizens Inc. and the Riverlife Task Force, the list includes the Three Rivers Rowing Association, Washington's Landing Homeowners Association, Sustainable Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Garden Club, Gateway Clipper Fleet, Preservation Pittsburgh and Mayor Tom Murphy.

PennDOT has proposed spending up to $200 million to reconstruct the stretch, an extension of East Ohio Street past the 31st Street and 40th Street bridges and a missing link in the Allegheny Valley Expressway.

While they have an at-grade plan with similarities to the Riverlife Task Force plan, PennDOT engineers have indicated they favor building retaining walls up to 60 feet high and digging into and scarring the Troy Hill hillside to establish a higher-speed road with 12-foot lanes and 8-foot shoulders, meeting expressway design standards.

One PennDOT proposal calls for building an elevated section passing only 12 feet from the facade of historic St. Nicholas Church, blocking its stained glass rose window.

"It's essential to save the natural surroundings that have embraced the city for generations," said J.D. Fogarty, president of the Washington's Landing group.

In addition, Troy Hill may emerge as the city's next Mount Washington. Residents are talking about establishing a promenade and overlooks from which visitors can view a different panorama of Downtown, Lawrenceville and Oakland.

"New, young couples are moving in and remodeling old homes," Shivak said. "The Riverlife Task Force plan not only preserves the hillside, but saves money, looks nice and improves the transportation system for everyone. It's a win-win plan."

An average of 60,000 vehicles a day travel what has been called the "death stretch" of Route 28, site of frequent accidents caused by narrow lanes and absence of a median barrier and shoulders. Traffic tie-ups last virtually all day at the signalized intersection at Rialto Street and the 31st Street Bridge.

The groundswell of support for an urban boulevard that provides nonstop flow on Route 28 by building four-lane underpasses at the 31st Street Bridge bottleneck and the 40th Street Bridge seems to be influencing the PennDOT boss.

"We have a well-meaning group of interests whose goals make sense," Biehler said, "namely to rebuild this difficult, narrow piece of highway in a fashion that scars the hillside the least. I've instructed our District 11 folks to be as helpful as possible."

Biehler called the stretch of Route 28 a "classic Pittsburgh bottleneck," not unlike the Route 51-88 intersection in the South Hills.

"We're anxious to find a solution that will satisfy as many people as possible," he said. "We still want to produce a good project, meaning it can effectively move people more quickly when all of the work is done."

The Riverlife Task Force and Vollmer Associates have met with District 11 engineers to exchange ideas.

"We don't want to build something that's not safe and can't carry the volume of traffic," Hack said. "But we are sympathetic to their ideas about reducing the size of the cut into the hillside."

Ed Patton, manager of engineering services for Vollmer's regional office, said his proposal incorporates community-sensitive design features that have been applauded nationally.

At 11 feet wide, the lanes would be 1 foot narrower than PennDOT's lanes. The posted speed limit would be 35 mph instead of 45 mph.

While both plans would provide nonstop flow on Route 28, they differ in many other ways besides impacts on the hillside, properties, businesses and environment. The Riverlife Task Force alternative:

Eliminates a PennDOT proposal for exits and entrances using the passing lane, old-style engineering that has hindered traffic and increased accidents on other major highways in the region.

Maintains the alignment between Rialto Street and the 31st Street Bridge as an at-grade intersection on a landscaped plaza that would be the roof of the Route 28 thru traffic underpass.

Saves dozens of homes and businesses, including ones atop Troy Hill, and St. Nicholas Church, the first Croatian Roman Catholic Church in the United States.

Maintains a transit stop at the bottom of Rialto Street, still used by a significant number of people despite the steepness of the street.

Reduces traffic noise for Troy Hill and Washington's Landing.

Could cost up to $40 million less than some PennDOT plans, mainly by avoiding expensive construction of retaining walls and elevated ramps.

All plans encroach on Norfolk Southern Railway property, but the Riverlife Task Force and Vollmer have already been negotiating with the railroad to acquire an unused track below an existing Route 28 retaining wall.

Schroeder and Patton said they and supporters don't want to delay the project, now scheduled for construction in 2008, or add to its costs.

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