Pittsburgh commuters prepare for Parkway East closure

PITTSBURGH — Oakland’s Fifth Avenue was clogged with traffic Thursday thanks to construction on the side of the road.

The scene didn’t bode well for commuters the following week. Fifth Avenue is one of the five recommended detours PennDOT mapped out for commuters as the agency prepares to shut down three miles of the Parkway East.

The closure, set to begin at 9 p.m. Friday, will allow the agency to demolish the existing Commercial Street bridge and slide a replacement bridge into place.

Drivers said they’re ready – but not really.

“It’ll all be backed up,” Monroeville’s Melissa Mishler said. “I just wish it wouldn’t be smack dab in the middle of summer, but really, when is the best time to do this?”

PennDOT has advised the 100,000 people who use the bridge each day to pack snacks and drinks for at least the first few days as they deal with logjams and find the least painful route to and from the city.

That will extend to Pirates fans over the weekend. The team has a three-game home series against Milwaukee. Friday night fans could be some of the first to find a new way home.

The closures could end early if the contractor finishes sooner than planned. That will be partially reliant on a compliant weather system.

“There’s obviously multiple ways to go and is this going to be which way is everybody else going to go, which ways are going to make the most sense to try to get around it,” Hannah Fischer said as she walked down Oakland’s streets.

In Wilkinsburg, community leaders are spying an opportunity. With more people traveling through Penn Avenue, the Community Development Corporation has bought billboard, launched a website and will be putting up signs advertising vacant storefronts and office space.

“They could actually move their business here,” Monica Garcia said. “We have so many great vacant spaces available, and they would never have to deal with the tunnel traffic.”

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