PennDOT projects seeming to have a life of their own as construction projects linger on
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Does it seem like road construction projects that get in our way just go on forever? With several in our area that seem to have a life of their own, John Shumway went looking for light at the end of the construction tunnel.
One project will be ending soon, but another won't be reaching a conclusion anytime soon.
There's a reason that I-79 has been splitting into two lanes for a while now when you get to the end of the Neville Island Bridge.
"So we replaced two bridge decks on the northbound side of 79. That's why the crossover was in place," said Jason Zang, P.E., PennDOT District 11 Assistant Executive, Construction.
All this week, the local access lane that takes you to Mt. Nebo Road and beyond is closing overnight.
"When you're doing paving work, they need the other lane for access to get their trucks in and out and just to make the work a little safer as well," Zang said.
But there is some good news.
"The plan is to lift that crossover, remove the crossover, put it back into its normal configuration for winter. And we're looking at around the week before Thanksgiving," Zang said.
There's no end in sight for the work on the Boulevard of the Allies perched on the side of the Bluff to Oakland, however.
"This goes on for another three years. There's there's a lot of bridge work out there. Those bridgeS haven't seen any major work for a long time," Zang said.
Part of the problem is that it's like working on each piece of spaghetti sitting in a bowl, independently, plus this is a major artery to everything happening in town.
"There's so many restrictions in the contract of when the contractor can work when they can't. It's going to drive that project down," Zang said.
This week, the ramp to the Parkway East headed outbound is closing overnight, and ramp and lane closings are going to continue on and off through 2026.
Construction crews will work to avoid big events and rush hours as much as possible, which is helping lead to the time the project will last.
On the other side of town, there are few road construction projects as despised as the ongoing work along Route 28.
There are websites and Facebook pages about it, all begging the question, "Is PennDOT ever going to be finished?"
When you're sitting in the daily mess, it might be hard to remember that Route 28 has been down to a single lane in both directions through the Highland Park interchange for years.
"The main purpose of that project is to widen, widen the main line to get two lanes through there. It's been one lane my entire life. Trying to get in two lanes to there," Zang said.
That's called trying to keep your eye on the prize as you dodge the latest orange squeeze or obstruction, like closings and repairs on the ramps to and from Fox Chapel Road.
While that aspect of the project will get completed rather quickly, there are two other projects out there, as well.
"The Highland Park Bridge interchange goes all the way through next year. There's still a lot of work that has to be done. They're still moving the ramps that have to get reconstructed. They're still working on 28. There's still a lot of a lot of work has been done, but a lot of work to come," Zang said.
"With overlays on the bridges we're replacing expansion joints. All that like not really exciting work but important maintenance work to the bridges. It's all happening at the same time," Zang added.
We're also closing in on the return of the ramp from the Highland Park Bridge to the southbound lanes of Route 28.
"We'll get that open by mid-November. We're going to try to get that open by Thanksgiving again for the winter, but it won't be done. So we'll see some of it done. They're gonna have to come back in the spring shut it back down and finish it," Zang said.
Some of the work will be able to be done in the winter, but things like concrete and asphalt paving won't be possible.
Zang said they want the new surface to last 30 years, and it won't last that long if they try to do it during a Pittsburgh winter. He says that when the projects are all completed in early 2024, there will be a good 15-20 year period where it's construction free. It won't be maintenance free, but is expected to be construction free.
