PennDOT wants to know what you think should be done to the Parkway East to reduce congestion and lower the number of accidents seen each year.
“We’re only going to look at things that would be something we can afford,” said PennDOT Dist. 11 Executive Dan Cessna.
Ideas such as removing the Squirrel Hill Tunnel or completely reconfigure the highway will not be considered.
“These are affordable changes that could be done at the interchanges, to the networks of the traffic signal systems, other modifications to the lanes,” Cessna said.
Since the beginning of the year, PennDOT has been conducting traffic evaluations and interviewing groups and individuals that Cessna calls stakeholders. The public was also encouraged to take an on-line survey. The results of those efforts will be presented 5:30 p.m. to 7:30p.m. May 12 at the Double Tree hotel in Monroeville, and then again 5:30 p.m. to 7:30p.m. May 15 at the Greenfield K-8 school in Pittsburgh.
Cessna will be joined by PennDOT project manager Victor DeFazio at the presentations. The public will be able to respond on the spot or make their opinions know later via email or the US Postal Service.
On average, more than 100,000 vehicles travel on the 14-mile stretch from the Fort Pitt Bridge to the Turnpike interchange in Monroeville each day.
Cessna said he is certain there are fixes that can be made that will be both effective and affordable.
