PA: I-279 to get complete rebuild from Fort Duquesne Bridge to Camp Horne Road

[rickmastfan67]

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2016/12/30/I-279-on-tap-for-massive-rebuilding-beginning-in-March/stories/201612290167

The project, which is expected to cost between $85 million and $100 million, was put out to bid Thursday and will involve more than 30 miles of lane work, including the High Occupancy Vehicle lanes from Reedsdale Street and the Veterans Bridge north to Perrysville Avenue.

The orange cones will start sprouting in mid-March and aren't expected to disappear until mid-June 2019, Mr. Cowan said.

The first phase of the work will involve the southbound lanes. The northbound lanes will be addressed in 2018, and the HOV lanes will be refurbished in the first half of 2019.

The good news for commuters from Ross and Ohio townships is that PennDOT intends to keep two lanes of traffic flowing at all times, Mr. Cowan said. There are no plans for road closings or winding detours because the number of lanes and the HOV lanes, which will be closed at the start of the project, provide PennDOT and the work crews flexibility with lane usage.

"The biggest impact,"  Mr. Cowan said, "will be crossing one [southbound] lane over into the northbound lanes at some point during the year. So there will be a local lane that remains in the main line of southbound 279 and an express lane that will be crossed over into the northbound lanes."

This is going to be fun if I plan to go to any Penguins games. lol.

[Gnutella]

I hope this also involves six-laning it from Perrysville Avenue to Camp Horne Road.

[ARMOURERERIC]

There is a bit of public outcry to add a 4th uphill Lane from 579 to McKnight Rd.

[compdude787]

There is a bit of public outcry to add a 4th uphill Lane from 579 to McKnight Rd.

That would make sense to have an additional lane for trucks going up the hill there.

[Bitmapped]

It'd be nice if PennDOT would do something about missing ramps along I-279. There's no good way from McKnight Road southbound to I-279 northbound and no good way to/from I-79 south. Building the missing McKnight ramp and completing the I-79/I-279 interchange or adding ramps at Mount Nebo Road could provide an alternate way to I-79 and take pressure off the Parkway West.

[seicer]

It's not even 30 years old and needs rebuilt? It's in serviceable condition with at least ten years left on its life as-is and could use some patching and diamond grinding.

[Mr_Northside]

I hope this also involves six-laning it from Perrysville Avenue to Camp Horne Road.

I'm almost 100% certain it doesn't.

It's not even 30 years old and needs rebuilt? It's in serviceable condition with at least ten years left on its life as-is and could use some patching and diamond grinding.

It sounds like the project is somewhere between a total full rebuild and a patching/resurfacing, either way I'm hoping it's not too much of a pain in the ass now that my employer relocated to Cranberry and I have to use some of this stretch every week day.

[ARMOURERERIC]

As a native of the area, there is no need for a SB McKnight to NB 279 connection.  Finding a way to get the green belt to 4 lanes westward to the 279/ Camp Horne exit would be more beneficial.

As for 279 NB accessing 79 SB: back in the 1970's, the original plan was a half diamond at Mt Nebo/ McAleer, with upgrades to Mt Nebo across to 79.  Ohio Twp nimbys killed that.

[cl94]

It doesn't need a total rebuild, but it needs some major work. It has barely been touched since it opened. Look at what happened to NYSDOT's concrete, especially in Regions 5 and 9. Remember how bad I-86 was west of Olean before the rebuild? It was that bad since at least 2003. I-88 has been miserable for over a decade and they're just fixing that in Region 9.

[Rothman]

Region 5 also had to deal with the Senecas.

[thenetwork]

Looks like.the Pittsburgh area is getting their ideas from the Erie region -- rebuild, not resurface!