Pittsburgh's "Bathtub" section of Parkway East reopens after flooding
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The "Bathtub" section of the Parkway East in Pittsburgh has reopened just in time for the Pirates' home opener after it was flooded.
Workers began pumping water out of the section of the interstate late Thursday night after record rainfall in our area flooded several parts of the area, including Downtown Pittsburgh. PennDOT reopened the road around 11:45 a.m., along with the ramp from Grant Street to westbound I-376 and the ramp from the Boulevard of the Allies to westbound I-376.
The Ohio River crested just shy of major flood stage at more than 24 feet on Thursday morning with several local routes through Downtown Pittsburgh heavily impacted.
The 10th Street Bypass, the Mon Wharf, the "Bathtub" section of the Parkway, the North Shore Riverwalk and parts of Point State Park all took on several feet of water following the heavy rainfall. The bypass reopened on Friday at around 11:30 p.m.
PennDOT closed the "Bathtub" on Wednesday morning before the roadway became flooded. The impact on traffic has been significant with drivers forced to route around different parts of the city with main arteries shut down.
Earlier this year, federal authorities announced more than $142 million to fix the trouble section and address other issues on the Parkway East.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Pittsburgh to tout the funding.
"The bathtub is not just an obstacle to overcome, it's a warning sign. It's a warning sign that it is long past time to upgrade the entire corridor to be more resilient against the climate crisis," Buttigieg said.