After taking public input, PennDOT is out with its plan to try and fix the daily traffic problems at the Squirrel Hill interchange on the Parkway East.
Both inbound and outbound traffic will see major changes, affecting the 100,000 daily drivers in the area.
First, trying to head outbound, there will be a longer on-ramp, and it will be relocated to just west of the Greenfield Bridge, with a longer ramp and a traffic light at Beechwood Boulevard to regulate the flow of traffic.
Inbound drivers will see a stop light coming to the Forward Avenue ramp; and there will be a new bridge constructed over the Parkway as part of a plan to provide trucks and larger vehicles a safer exit ramp.
Local roads around the area will also be improved, including a separate local lane for the residents of Beechwood Boulevard near Forward Avenue, a roundabout at Monitor Street and Beechwood and other signal upgrades.
Work is expected to start in four years and wrap up in 2032.
“After careful consideration and feedback from the public, local businesses, and local officials, the department has decided to move forward into the preliminary engineering phase with ‘Alternative F’,” said PennDOT District 11 Executive, Jason Zang. “Public involvement has been instrumental and as we move into the design phase, we still request feedback through our website and will hold another public meeting as plans progress, so we can continue to refine the design process.”
Learn more about “Alternate F” here.