Drivers in the Alle-Kiski Valley will have to make a little room on the road for cars detouring through the area during the Parkway East closure.
The highway between the Squirrel Hill Tunnel and the Edgewood/Swissvale exit is expected to be closed until the morning of Aug 3. while PennDOT demolishes the current I-376 bridge over Commercial Street and slides into place a new one that was built next to it.
In addition to serving drivers from Pittsburgh’s eastern suburbs, that section of I-376 (Parkway East) is a major traffic artery for people traveling from the Monroeville area and parts of Westmoreland County into Pittsburgh.
For the next few weeks, those commuters will have to find a different route to work.
PennDOT expects a significant number of commuters will use the Pennsylvania Turnpike, getting on in Monroeville and exiting in Harmar on their way to use Route 28 into Pittsburgh.
That would take them onto Freeport Road in Harmar a short distance to Route 910, where they can access Route 28 southbound toward Pittsburgh.
Harmar Police Chief Jason Domaratz said his department isn’t planning any operational changes with the increased traffic, but will be monitoring the interchange and the Freeport Road corridor.
“It’s hard to tell the traffic patterns that will be used,” Domaratz said.
If congestion becomes an issue, he said, the department may step in to direct traffic.
“If that means using officers for extra details and working the traffic signals, then that’s what we’ll have to do,” he said.
Though PennDOT doesn’t yet have estimated wait times, spokesperson Nicole Haney said the agency also will be monitoring traffic patterns for the first few days and would make detour adjustments if necessary.
Haney recommended driver’s look at PennDOT’s online detour maps and maps listed on 511PA, which offers live travel-time estimates, to plan their routes ahead of time.
She also suggested people work from home if possible.
Adding to turnpike traffic will be drivers trying to get to the Parkway West, which they will have to do by getting off the turnpike at the Cranberry interchange. Drivers from there would have to get on I-79 and back onto the Parkway.
Road safety
Haney said PennDOT will have more vehicles patrolling in the region, including on the detour routes, through the duration of the work.
“We have been reminding those in vehicles travelling along detour routes to be careful and look out for pedestrians, bicycles, children, those with disabilities,” Haney said.
Haney cautioned motorists against speeding through residential neighborhoods or using residential neighborhoods as cut-throughs.
Trooper Rocco Gagliardi said state police, too, would be patrolling to make sure detours and interchanges, especially those on and off I-376, are flowing well.
Gagliardi recommended drivers, especially those unsure of their routes, use GPS.
He said signage along detours should be accurate.
“This weekend is going to be an interesting first step,” he said.
Despite the posted detours, he said, some drivers might still create their own detours.
“Once they do leave that 376 interchange, they could be going a more local route,” Gagliardi said.
Concerns in Oakmont
Some in Oakmont wonder if the detours will cause more traffic, especially on Allegheny River Boulevard and the Hulton Bridge, which provides access to Freeport Road in Harmar, where they can get on and off Route 28.
Brooke Arabia, a barista at Moonbeam Cafe on Allegheny River Boulevard, said the area already is a congestion point, and people detouring through the area could cause more of a bottleneck near the bridge.
Still, she wonders if it could cause a temporary boost in business.
“Maybe people will have to stop,” she said.
Sharon Carroll, owner of Oakmont Olive Oil Co., had a similar thought.
“Anytime you bring new people to town, it’s a positive for the town in general,” Carroll said.
Despite the detours, local officials aren’t bracing for catastrophe circumstances.
Scot Fodi, Oakmont borough manager, noted that residents know the area better than a map, which might not always have accurate wait times.
“This is Pittsburgh,” Fodi said. “People know at least three or four ways to get to the same place.”
In neighboring Plum, borough Manager David Soboslay said he isn’t overly concerned, but he does think people should prepare for a hectic month on the road.
“It’s just going to be a mess trying to get anywhere,” Soboslay said. “I think people are just going to have to look online (to) try and find out their best route and be patient with traffic.”
He gave credit to PennDOT for preparedness.
“PennDOT, I have to give it up to them. They have been on top of this for a number of months,” Soboslay said. “Trying to get everyone involved, getting the information out there, so yeah: I think if they had a concern, they would’ve reached out to us already.”
The demolition and replacement of the I-376 bridge over Commercial Street will be livestreamed until the new one opens.
Naomi Girson and Ember Duke are TribLive staff writers. Naomi is at ngirson@triblive.com, Ember Duke at eduke@triblive.com.