PennDOT To Close Parkway West Overnight For Construction
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – In a surprise move, PennDOT says the Parkway West construction zone in the Carnegie area has become too dangerous for road workers, and drivers, so for that reason, it's decided to have nighttime closures of the highway in the Carnegie area.
Dan Cessna, PennDOT'S District 11 Executive, says there have been about a dozen crashes in the work zone since the project started in August, due to the lanes being narrowed, and drivers not paying enough attention to what is going on around them. While construction zone safety during the day time hours has improved, the single lane closures overnight have resulted in some serious accidents, and a lot of close calls.
"The work zone proved too difficult for some drivers to navigate creating safety concerns for motorists, and workers as well," Cessna said.
One driver we talked to tonight in Carnegie said "I guess it will get worse, before it gets better. I just hope it doesn't last too long."
One woman said, "you try to get on the Parkway, and it's closed, and my GPS is going round and round."
PennDOT will close the Parkway West overnight starting Thursday, weather permitting.
On the outbound side, it will close Monday and Wednesdays from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and Fridays from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m.
On the inbound side, the parkway will close Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and Saturdays from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m.
Both sides will remain open on Sunday nights though.
Additionally, PennDOT says to expect long delays on alternate routes.
PennDOT has suggested these detours:
Outbound (westbound)
· Motorists will exit I-376 at the Greentree/Crafton (Exit 67) interchange
· Bear left to north Route 121 towards Crafton
· Turn left onto Mansfield Avenue (Route 3062)
· Turn left onto Noblestown Road (Route 50)
· Noblestown Road becomes East Main Street
· Turn right onto Jane Street
· Jane Street becomes Mansfield Boulevard
· Mansfield Boulevard becomes West Main Street
· Follow West Main Street to I-79
· Take the ramp to northbound I-79
· Follow northbound I-79 to I-376
· End detour
Inbound (eastbound)
• Motorists will exit I-376 at the I-79 south (Exit 64A) interchange towards Washington
• Follow I-79 south to the Carnegie (Exit 57) interchange off-ramp
• At the end of the off-ramp, turn left onto West Main Street
• West Main Street becomes Mansfield Boulevard
• Turn right onto Chestnut Street
• Turn left onto East Main Street
• East Main Street becomes Noblestown Road
• Turn right onto Mansfield Avenue
• Turn left onto Greentree Road
• Turn right onto Parkway Center Drive
• Follow to I-376
• End detour
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