PennDOT: 'Starting Tonight, Traffic Is Going To Be Very Difficult Getting Outbound'
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Parkway East will be closed all weekend and PennDOT is suggesting you avoid the detour route.
PennDOT District 11 Executive Cheryl Moon-Sirianni says when they used this same detour during the rebuilding of the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, "The detours were in the time frame of an hour, to two hours, upwards some times to three hours."
Those kinds of delays are possible this weekend because all the Parkway Traffic will be detoured down Forbes Avenue through the heart of the Oakland Business District.
After a jog over to Fifth Avenue, the detoured traffic will make a right onto Penn Ave in Point Breeze and into the single lane run through the Wilkinsburg business district.
"We do want you to avoid the Parkway, and the detour routes do have a lot of traffic signals on them," Moon-Sirianni says.
In fact, there are 41 traffic lights on the detour route.
Moon-Sirianni says there will be police officers strategically placed to keep traffic rolling.
"I don't want to say smoothly, just it can keep it moving," she says.
WATCH: KDKA's John Shumway tests out the detour that's going in effect tonight
With PennDOT suggesting you avoid the area, here are a couple of alternatives to consider.
If you are trying to reach Kennywood, you could use Carson Street out of the Southside and follow Rt 837 all the way to the park.
You could also take Second Ave out of downtown and go up through Greenfield to the Homestead Grays Bridge.
And if your destination is to Monroeville or points east, PennDOT suggests you use Route 28 to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and back down to Monroeville.
WATCH: Rachele Mongiovi reports live from the detour in Oakland
The work will wrap up and the Parkway East will reopen just in time for Monday morning rush hour.
While the contractor has until 5 a.m. Monday morning, they will reopen the road earlier if the work is finished.
PennDOT says they are squeezing two weekends worth of work into this weekend so they can finish up the project and reduce the inconveniences to drivers.
The following ramps will begin closing at 7 p.m. on Friday night:
• Outbound Boulevard of the Allies (Route 885) ramp to outbound I-376
• Bates Avenue ramp to outbound I-376
• Beechwood Boulevard ramp to outbound I-376
• Westbound I-376 off-ramp to Squirrel Hill/Homestead (Exit 74)
Posted Detours:
Outbound I-376
• From eastbound I-376, take the Forbes Avenue/Oakland (Exit 72A) off-ramp
• Follow Forbes Avenue to South Bellefield Avenue
• Turn left onto South Bellefield Avenue
• Turn right onto Fifth Avenue
• Follow Fifth Avenue to Penn Avenue
• Turn right onto Penn Avenue
• Turn right onto Ardmore Boulevard
• Take the ramp to 376/22/West 30 toward Pittsburgh/Monroeville
• Bear left toward East 376/22 toward Monroeville
• End detour
Outbound Boulevard of the Allies on-ramp to Outbound I-376
• Continue on the Boulevard of the Allies past the closed ramp to Forbes Avenue/Oakland
• Take the ramp to Forbes Avenue
• Follow Forbes Avenue to South Bellefield Avenue
• Turn left onto South Bellefield Avenue
• Turn right onto Fifth Avenue
• Follow Fifth Avenue to Penn Avenue
• Turn right onto Penn Avenue
• Turn right onto Ardmore Boulevard
• Take the ramp to 376/22/West 30 toward Pittsburgh/Monroeville
• Bear left toward East 376/22 toward Monroeville
• End detour
Bates Street on-ramp to Outbound I-376
• Follow Bates Street northbound to the Boulevard of the Allies
• Turn left onto the Boulevard of the Allies
• Turn right onto Halket Street
• Turn right onto Forbes Avenue
• Follow Forbes Avenue to South Bellefield Avenue
• Turn left onto South Bellefield Avenue
• Turn right onto Fifth Avenue
• Follow Fifth Avenue to Penn Avenue
• Turn right onto Penn Avenue
• Turn right onto Ardmore Boulevard
• Take the ramp to 376/22/West 30 toward Pittsburgh/Monroeville
• Bear left toward East 376/22 toward Monroeville
• End detour
Beechwood Boulevard on-ramp to Outbound I-376
• From Beechwood Boulevard, turn onto Forward Avenue
• Turn left onto Murray Avenue
• Turn right onto Wilkins Avenue
• Turn left onto North Dallas Avenue
• Turn right onto Penn Avenue
• Turn right onto Ardmore Boulevard
• Take the ramp to 376/22/West 30 toward Pittsburgh/Monroeville
• Bear left toward East 376/22 toward Monroeville
• End detour
Inbound I-376 off-ramp to Squirrel Hill/Homestead (Exit 74)
• Continue on inbound I-376 past the closed ramp
• Take the Glenwood (73B) off-ramp to Bates Street
• From Bates Street, turn left onto Second Avenue
• Turn left onto Greenfield Avenue
• Turn left onto Ronald Street
• Turn right onto Beechwood Boulevard
• End detour
For more information on the closure, visit PennDOT's website here.
Click here to view the detour maps:
