Fifth Avenue Forum

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/transp ... 1601110005

Curious everyone's thoughts on this. I think we have a strong South Hills contingent on this board. I think it will probably help my commute a little bit, but may not be worth it due to the tolls.

They've been building that since Tom Ridge was governor.

Yeah, I know it's been a long time coming. I can see benefits but also think that it's somewhat a waste.

Oh the days when 376 dead ended into I-79 at the Point...

If they had the funding to complete the project up to Monroeville/376 area, then it would be worthwhile IMO. If I remember correctly, wasn't there supposed to be a leg that would allow all people living east of the Squirrel Hill Tunnels to avoid them if travelling into the city? Ah yes, found a jpg:

completing the mon fayette express was never going to happen and never will


it is a pretty drive from jefferson hills to I-70 though

If they had the funding to complete the project up to Monroeville/376 area, then it would be worthwhile IMO. If I remember correctly, wasn't there supposed to be a leg that would allow all people living east of the Squirrel Hill Tunnels to avoid them if travelling into the city? Ah yes, found a jpg:

Couldn't expanding the east busway have the same effect? I'm unfamiliar with this and have read it in multiple comment sections about this. As an eastern resident who works on the western side of the city I will take anything I can get.

I'm also unfamiliar with expansion of the east busway. I know there is an express if you pick it up somewhere in Forest Hills. Perhaps they have plans to expand it out towards Monroeville? Either way, I think people not south of the city are reluctant to use public transportation. I've lived south, east and now north of the city, and living out east is definitely the worst.

Ah, the East Busway, the folly that eliminated all of the eastern trolley routes in 1967

If you have reason to travel into the city on a regular basis for work or otherwise, I cannot imagine commuting through any of the tunnels on a regular basis.

If you have reason to travel into the city on a regular basis for work or otherwise, I cannot imagine commuting through any of the tunnels on a regular basis.

Me neither. I thank my lucky starts that I lived in the north hills when I used to work on the North Side.

That's why we live up north now. My wife put up with the SHT for 6 years, God bless her soul.

completing the mon fayette express was never going to happen and never will


it is a pretty drive from jefferson hills to I-70 though

lol I was about to ask if that ever happened.

My wife goes to oakland but gets off in wilkinsburg. SHT is brutal. It'd be awesome if they could somehow expand the tunnels. I think that would solve the problems. But dang geography has to get involved and ruin everything

If they had the funding to complete the project up to Monroeville/376 area, then it would be worthwhile IMO. If I remember correctly, wasn't there supposed to be a leg that would allow all people living east of the Squirrel Hill Tunnels to avoid them if travelling into the city? Ah yes, found a jpg:

The last that I read about this said that the plan was to build the connection from Jefferson Hills to Monroeville but not the leg into the city. That means the only part of the entire Mon-Fayette Expressway that would not be built is the only one that might actually get some use.

This board is North Hills centric, right?

Oh the days when 376 dead ended into I-79 at the Point...

That name change is a somewhat-irrational "grinds my gears" for me, because it means that both 279 and 376 now have inaccurate numbers. Auxiliary interstate highways that branch off of main interstate highways have three-digit numbers with a prefix digit in front of the parent highway's number. Spur highways that branch off the main highway but do not return have an odd prefix number, and highways that loop back around and reconnect to the main highway at some point have an even prefix number. Thus, 279 was given an even first number because it connected to 79 at both ends. But it doesn't connect at both ends any more, and 376 now does connect twice to the Turnpike. They should have changed I-279 to I-179 and I-376 to I-876 (2-, 4-, and 676 are already taken).

176 is also taken, for the record

Oh the days when 376 dead ended into I-79 at the Point...

That name change is a somewhat-irrational "grinds my gears" for me, because it means that both 279 and 376 now have inaccurate numbers. Auxiliary interstate highways that branch off of main interstate highways have three-digit numbers with a prefix digit in front of the parent highway's number. Spur highways that branch off the main highway but do not return have an odd prefix number, and highways that loop back around and reconnect to the main highway at some point have an even prefix number. Thus, 279 was given an even first number because it connected to 79 at both ends. But it doesn't connect at both ends any more, and 376 now does connect twice to the Turnpike. They should have changed I-279 to I-179 and I-376 to I-876 (2-, 4-, and 676 are already taken).

I never realized there was a purposeful intent behind the stubs, spurs, or bypasses. Then again, there was once a schema for the main 2 digit assignment that was directional based that was blown up when I-99 was designated. The odds were N/S assigned west to east, and evens East/West assigned South to North.

Here's a shot of a streetcar in the triangle, east of Smithfield somewhere, with the I-79 Airport sign showing:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... permPage=1

Oh the days when 376 dead ended into I-79 at the Point...

That name change is a somewhat-irrational "grinds my gears" for me, because it means that both 279 and 376 now have inaccurate numbers. Auxiliary interstate highways that branch off of main interstate highways have three-digit numbers with a prefix digit in front of the parent highway's number. Spur highways that branch off the main highway but do not return have an odd prefix number, and highways that loop back around and reconnect to the main highway at some point have an even prefix number. Thus, 279 was given an even first number because it connected to 79 at both ends. But it doesn't connect at both ends any more, and 376 now does connect twice to the Turnpike. They should have changed I-279 to I-179 and I-376 to I-876 (2-, 4-, and 676 are already taken).

I never realized there was a purposeful intent behind the stubs, spurs, or bypasses. Then again, there was once a schema for the main 2 digit assignment that was directional based that was blown up when I-99 was designated. The odds were N/S assigned west to east, and evens East/West assigned South to North.

Here's a shot of a streetcar in the triangle, east of Smithfield somewhere, with the I-79 Airport sign showing:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... permPage=1

I like that FB group. Moved here shortly after the streetcars were gone.

Did not realize that 79 used to go through town.

Where is the new project connecting to 79? Wondering if it could be an alternate to get from my house in Beaver down to my office in Southpointe.

Although charming, the streetcars weren't all that.

Oh the days when 376 dead ended into I-79 at the Point...

That name change is a somewhat-irrational "grinds my gears" for me, because it means that both 279 and 376 now have inaccurate numbers. Auxiliary interstate highways that branch off of main interstate highways have three-digit numbers with a prefix digit in front of the parent highway's number. Spur highways that branch off the main highway but do not return have an odd prefix number, and highways that loop back around and reconnect to the main highway at some point have an even prefix number. Thus, 279 was given an even first number because it connected to 79 at both ends. But it doesn't connect at both ends any more, and 376 now does connect twice to the Turnpike. They should have changed I-279 to I-179 and I-376 to I-876 (2-, 4-, and 676 are already taken).

Interesting. TIL.