If Allegheny County's Orange Belt takes you to the outer edges of the county; the Yellow Belt, in contrast, may be the ultimate day trip within the county. Shorter - and not as long or tedious of a drive - the Yellow Belt gives you a little bit of everything - suburbs, Mon Valley Industrial towns, recreation, and access to nearby shopping centers.
The Yellow Belt is a slightly over 75-mile-long journey through the heart of Allegheny County. Though it is not as frustrating as the Orange Belt - fewer turns onto various roads and doesn't take as long - it still is a slow and at times frustrating drive at just under three hours. But the variety of landscapes and proximity to various activities make it a great day trip for exploring. And in a county as big as Allegheny, a chance to see much of the area you may have never seen before.
The Yellow Belt was a pleasant surprise for me. It really gives a full taste of the communities within the county and around Pittsburgh. Like the Orange Belt, it's a long drive. The seemingly endless two lanes through the North Hills eat away at the time, as do all the traffic lights in Mt. Lebanon and Bethel Park.
However, the purpose of the Yellow Belt can easily be seen. Not as a whole route but in segments of it. It serves as a connector to communities, activity centers, and landmarks. It serves as a signed (if you don't miss them) route vs. remembering the numerous streets you need to make a turn on or off. It's not perfect and in the modern-day era of GPS and in-car navigation antiquated. Yet, the Yellow Belt, more so than the Orange Belt, serves a purpose and can get you where you're going.
A drive on the Yellow Belt.
https://www.gribblenation.org/2022/11/allegheny-countys-day-trip-yellow-belt.html
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Topic: SW Pennsylvania (Read 130433 times)