Sometimes, being a resident of the Pittsburgh area means forgoing life in the fast lane.
That looks to be especially true for those living in the North Hills as the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation undertakes the rebuilding of Interstate 279 from the Fort Duquesne Bridge to Camp Horne Road in 2017, a massive road project that is expected to take 27 months.
“It will be the largest project for District 11 next year,” said Steve Cowan, spokesman for the district that includes Allegheny, Beaver and Lawrence counties.
The project, which is expected to cost between $85 million and $100 million, was put out to bid Thursday and will involve more than 30 miles of lane work, including the High Occupancy Vehicle lanes from Reedsdale Street and the Veterans Bridge north to Perrysville Avenue.
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The orange cones will start sprouting in mid-March and aren’t expected to disappear until mid-June 2019, Mr. Cowan said.
The first phase of the work will involve the southbound lanes. The northbound lanes will be addressed in 2018, and the HOV lanes will be refurbished in the first half of 2019.
The good news for commuters from Ross and Ohio townships is that PennDOT intends to keep two lanes of traffic flowing at all times, Mr. Cowan said. There are no plans for road closings or winding detours because the number of lanes and the HOV lanes, which will be closed at the start of the project, provide PennDOT and the work crews flexibility with lane usage.
“The biggest impact,” Mr. Cowan said, “will be crossing one [southbound] lane over into the northbound lanes at some point during the year. So there will be a local lane that remains in the main line of southbound 279 and an express lane that will be crossed over into the northbound lanes.”
Mr. Cowan said that while the finest details remain to be worked out, there are specific restrictions that the contractor will have to follow.
“But there are opportunities throughout every project where a contractor can discuss working alternate times or different traffic patterns in order to get the work done,” he said. Variables such as weather, other projects, and sporting or community events come into play.
PennDOT officials expect to get a lot for their money. In addition to the road improvements, the work will involve repairs to 30 bridges (including the widening of one), two culverts, 49 sign structures and 40 retaining walls.
There also will be upgrades and fixes for lighting, drainage, guide rails, signals, pavement marking and landscaping.
“It’s normal,” he said. “A roadway of that nature has a 30-year lifespan, and we’re approaching 28 years. So by the time this project’s over, we’ll have reached the 30-year mark.
“Anybody that’s driven through there can tell that the road needs some significant work. There are 100-plus structures that need to be rehabilitated. A significant amount of work is needed to keep that road in the best shape possible.”
Dan Majors: dmajors@post-gazette.com and 412-263-1456.
First Published: December 30, 2016, 5:00 a.m.
