University Times

If it's warm in Pittsburgh, it must be road construction season.

Several local and regional construction projects, ranging from months-long overhauls to surface facelifts, are ongoing or scheduled, according to officials at PennDOT (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation). Traffic into Oakland from all directions will be affected.

PennDOT has established information hotlines and web sites with updates on several of the projects.

Boulevard of the Allies Outbound lanes from Downtown on the Boulevard of the Allies were closed May 23 for seven months while PennDOT repairs a 1.6-mile stretch of roadway. (See University Times, May 17.)

Oakland streets re-paving projects According to a spokesperson from the City Department of Public Works asphalt plant, Oakland streets expected to be re-paved this summer include: Melwood Street (between Baum Boulevard and Centre Avenue); Parkman Avenue; Lytton Avenue (between Parkman and Bigelow); Ophelia Street (between Craft Place and Niagara Street), and Craft Place (between Boulevard of the Allies and Ophelia).

Additionally, Oakland streets to be re-paved during night-time hours include: Lothrop Street (between Fifth Avenue and Terrace Street); Terrace (between Robinson Street and Lothrop); O'Hara Street (between DeSoto Street and Bigelow); Filmore Street (between South Craig Street and Neville), and Fifth (between Darragh Street and Summerville).

The Public Works spokesperson said the schedule of the re-paving has not been established yet. He said re-paving projects typically take the equivalent of three days, including preliminary stripping of the old pavement.

For more information on local street paving and resurfacing, call 255-2720 (Public Works information) or 665-3613 (Public Works asphalt plant).

According to the PennDOT web site (www.state.pa.us) the following projects have begun or are expected to begin during this construction season:

Local roads maintained by the county Penn Circle, East Liberty. Construction is underway to convert to two-way traffic between South Highland Avenue and South Euclid Street, with lane restrictions through June.

10th Street Bypass. The bypass is closed between the Fort Pitt Bridge and 10th Street.

East Carson Street. Water-line repairs between 17th and 18th streets are restricting traffic. East Carson sometimes is closed in that block after 7 p.m.

Mount Royal Boulevard. The bridge crossing railroad tracks north of Duncan Avenue in Hampton is closed through August.

Commercial Avenue. In August, the county expects to begin rebuilding 2,000 feet of Commercial Avenue between the Parkway East overpass and Whipple Street.

Beaver Grade Road. This road is closed for relocation of the intersection with Cliff Mine Road and Coraopolis Heights Road.

Interstate highways I-79. Repairs began this week on 4.2 miles of road between Routes 60 and 65, limiting traffic to one lane in each direction between Steubenville Pike and the north end of the Neville Island-Ohio River Bridge.

Traffic has been shifted to the southbound side, one lane in each direction, for the second year of work between Exits 5 and 7 south of Washington, Pa.

I-70. Traffic is restricted to the outside lanes in each direction on the Smithton High-Level Bridge in Westmoreland County while work is done of the inside lanes.

A $6.5 million resurfacing project began this month from the West Virginia border to West Alexandria, restricting traffic to one lane in each direction.

PennDOT announced that a $3.5 million resurfacing project will begin June 4 between Exit 3 and Exit 4 (near Washington, Pa.) with single-lane restrictions over the four-mile stretch.

I-376 (Parkway East). The right, third lane inbound is being used for equipment storage and staging during the Boulevard of the Allies project. This one-lane, quarter-mile stretch between exits for the Boulevard and Second Avenue is expected to re-open June 30.

Fort Pitt Tunnel. PennDOT is closing the outbound tunnel between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. on weekdays and some weekends, while work is underway on electrical, ventilation and safety systems. The detour is via the West End Circle/Route 51 south to I-279 west. (Major repairs of the Fort Pitt Tunnel are expected to begin in spring 2002 and continue through the summer of 2003.)

(Interstate roads information hotline: 888/783-6783)

State highways Route 28. Traffic is limited to one lane in both directions between the Highland Park Bridge and Powers Run Road, O'Hara. Work is being done on the Etna overpass detouring southbound traffic over the Highland Park Bridge to Butler Street to the 62nd Street Bridge. (412/269-6228; www.epenndot.com) Route 51. PennDOT is repaving five miles between Lebanon Church Road and Bausman Street. Lanes are restricted for overnight work on weekends.

Route 60 (Beaver County). A six-mile project between Green Garden and Brighton interchanges means single lanes in both directions. The project is expected to take until November.

Route 228. New ramps will connect Route 228 and I-79 in the Cranberry area. Traffic slowdowns are expected.

Route 173 (Slippery Rock). Traffic is limited to a single lane during daylight hours for paving of a two-mile stretch south of Slippery Rock Borough. The project is expected to last until August.

Route 66. Traffic is limited to a single lane while reconstruction work is done on a 2.6 mile stretch north of Leechburg.

Route 65. One lane is closed in both directions on Ohio River Boulevard near Bellevue. Route 65 also is restricted to one lane in each direction for 1.3 miles between Ferry and Cross streets in Leetsdale during patching and asphalt paving. The project is expected to run to mid-August.

Route 981 (Smithton). A bridge replacement project will begin June 11 in South Huntingdon, north of Smithton, and will last through September.

Pennsylvania Turnpike Traffic is restricted to 55 miles per hour between mileposts 75 and 139 in Westmoreland and Somerset counties. Eastbound and westbound traffic are limited to the shoulder lane and right slow lane while middle left lanes are rebuilt in both directions.

(For all Pa. Turnpike information: 800/331-3414; www.paturnpike.com) Mon-Fayette Expressway. Northbound lanes are closed for 2.2 miles between California, Pa., and I-70. Single-lane traffic is maintained on the south-bound side.

Road construction involving federal aid Route 22-30. Road reconstruction on the three-mile stretch between Oakdale and Imperial will begin June 4, PennDOT announced. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction. The project is expected to be completed over two years.

Route 30 (Forest Hills). The right lane of Route 30 (Ardmore Boulevard) west-bound will be closed while water lines are replaced, followed by resurfacing between Yost Boulevard and the Parkway East.

Route 30 (Beaver County). A two-mile stretch near Hanover will be resurfaced on weekdays. Alternating one-lane traffic, controlled by lights, will be in effect during replacement of a bridge over Little Traverse Run west of Raccoon Creek State Park.

Route 22. The road is being widened for two miles from Route 119 east through New Alexandria. (www.renew22.com) Route 422. Traffic restrictions on the Kittanning Bypass are in effect during repair work. (www.kittanningbypass.com) Route 119 (Jefferson County). PennDOT is adding truck-climbing lanes in the Punxsutawney area, which is causing traffic slow-downs.

Last week, PennDOT announced a Liberty Bridge renovation project, set to begin in July. The project is in preparation for the major Fort Pitt Tunnel projects set for summer 2002 and 2003. The Liberty Bridge will become the chief detour route when PennDOT closes the Fort Pitt Bridge and Tunnel for two years of repairs, outbound in 2002 and inbound in 2003.

Ramps on the Downtown side of the Liberty Bridge that connect with the Boulevard of the Allies will be worked on this summer. Work is expected to be done on weekends, between 10 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday, according to PennDOT.

For more information on PennDOT construction projects, contact 412/429-5000 or access www.state.pa.us

–Peter Hart