Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

Ramping up┬áWhen the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is done with the Parkway West Project, driving through the City of Pittsburgh will feel like ÔÇÿnothing is missingÔÇÖ, reports Brendan A. Smith.┬á┬á  In August of 2008, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation started work to modernize a key artery, Interstate 79, which services Allegheny County, just a few miles west of Downtown Pittsburgh. Dubbed the ÔÇ£Missing RampsÔÇØ project, the goal is to reduce commuting time by as much as 45 percent during the peak morning and afternoon rush hours. The improvement, led by prime contractor Balfour Beatty Construction of Canonsburg, PA, is long overdue since the last major upgrade occurred back in 1989, when Parkway North was opened. The focal point of the $68 million project will be the construction of two ÔÇ£missing rampsÔÇØ connecting I-79 to Parkway West, which includes I-279, and Routes 22 and 30. Prior to commencement of the construction project, there was no direct access at the interchange, so it was impossible for traffic to travel southbound on I-79 to Route 22/30.┬á┬á┬á┬á The project is designed to improve the flow of traffic through the principal artery connecting Downtown Pittsburgh with Pittsburgh International Airport, located just fifteen miles west of the city. Currently, the route services a daily traffic volume of 100,000 vehicles, which frequently turn the expressway and neighboring routes into parking lots, often three miles long, during periods of heavy use.┬á┬á The Michael Baker Corporation was the prime design consultantÔÇöno stranger to the Pittsburgh area as it played a similar role in the design of the Midfield Terminal Complex at Pittsburgh International Airport. The firm, which was responsible for other noteworthy projects like the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, fitted micro-fast-type deicing systems for use on curved ramp ways, to improve drivability and safety during the icy-cold Pittsburgh winters. The designers also planned the construction of two new bridge structures, added highway lighting, and enhanced the existing intelligent transportation system. The Batty Company is responsible for widening ramps, constructing a culvert to improve drainage, and building two retaining walls. It will also be adding cameras, a guide rail, signage, and rumble strips to improve safety on the Parkway West route. The missing ramps were opened in December of 2008.┬á Additionally, extensive work is underway on Route 22/30 to include 1.6 miles of extra lanes, resulting in a total of three lanes of traffic flowing in each direction through the interchange.┬á Until the remainder of the project is completed, traffic on Route 22/30 will be shifted to the shoulders, medians, and temporary pavement consisting of four total lanes. The I-79 portion of the project will also see a total of four lanes, two southbound and two northbound. As the project draws to a close by June 2009, crews will install Jersey barriers, concrete floors, and finish the ÔÇ£wearing coats,ÔÇØ which require warmer weather.┬á┬á┬á Eighty percent of the estimated $68 million it will take to complete construction is financed through the federal government, while the remaining twenty percent is being absorbed by the State of Pennsylvania. Like all infrastructure enhancement projects, the benefits will enrich the City of Pittsburgh and its citizens. ÔÇô Editorial research by Jim Rose┬á