April 13, 2002
One of the most-feared construction projects in Pittsburgh is now underway: The closing of the Fort Pitt Bridge and Tunnel going outbound. Traffic is being routed around in a fairly effective manner, but the fact that the reason for the tunnel is a largish hill on the south side of the Mon and Ohio rivers makes having detours difficult.
For the most part, traffic is being routed onto the West End Bridge over the Ohio, which is two lanes wide. The Fort Pitt Bridge, where traffic has to funnel together from the Parkway North, the Parkway East and downtown, is four lanes wide. So to say that there's congestion is a bit of an understatement.
And I was caught in the first day of it when I left the Burgh to visit Akron for a week. Nobody had any idea what was going on yet. It took me 35 minutes to get out of the city at 3:30 in the afternoon. I can't imagine what it was like when the work day ended at 5:00 and the Pirates home opener let out (between 4:30 and 5:00). I do not envy the people living in the southern suburbs.
