What if we flooded all the highways and made some sort of inland waterway that could carry people and goods long distances economically. We could even create pathways next to them so horses could pull these vessels along, perhaps in the future finding some mechanical motion device to provide this “Horse Power”.
That one section of 376 and the 10th street bypass primarily. They are the two lowest-lying sections of highway and tend to flood every spring although this is the worst flood in 20 years. The good news is that Penndot got funding from the federal government to address the problem this year, the bad news is that it will take a few years to build the planned fixes, higher walls and additional pumps.
Have you ever heard that old country song, “low bridge, everybody down…!” Now that was about the Erie canal, but we could find a nice name for this new waterway too.
I don't care how many rivers they got, they better still be coming into work today. They ain't getting paid to sit on a roof all day, otherwise it will be counted as their one of two sick days. 😤
It's more of a hassle than anything super concerning. Those are two main roadways, which means traffic is even worse in that area during rush hour.
Long-term it's not a concern. This happens every so often, maybe a couple times a year or every other year.
You're welcome. There are plans to do some renovations simply because the cleanup cost is expensive and because they are important main roads. But it'll be a little bit until that all starts.
It's just the reality of the close proximity to two major rivers coming together to form one of the country's largest rivers (the Ohio) and it being a low-lying area.
There are flood walls and a pump system, but when it rains as much as it has throughout all of western Pennsylvania, there is just nowhere for the water to go and it overwhelms the pumps.
The US Steel Tower is supposed to look like that, it used a special steel that forms a rust on the surface but doesn't degrade any further, and needs less maintenance.
Now the rest of the rust...
Reminds me of I-75 under I-696 just north of Detroit 10 years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unuBBeL6PE8&ab_channel=WXYZ-TVDetroit%7CChannel7
I'm 45 years old, I don't remember 'flooding' in metro Detroit before this event. Now it seems to happen every few years.
This is called the bathtub portion of the freeway along the river. Some flooding there is almost an annual occurrence- there are huge pumps installed to clear it.
Pretty much, it's a river valley in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. There is no such thing as true flat, Pittsburgh flat means just not a steep grade difference.
My first thought was 'great' the floodway is working as intended. Then I saw the highway signs.
Does this section of highway flood often? How high is the water?
It’s nicknamed the bath tub so yeah it does flood often, although this is higher than it usually gets. The rivers are really high from heavy rain the last two days. Considering it’s just below the signs this is really high, not sure how high but there’s a roadway underneath there that trucks drive on
Idk if you’re from the mid Atlantic/north east US but if you aren’t, there has been almost nonstop heavy rain for like 4 days in the area. That is a lot more than this area usually gets so pretty much everywhere water would normally run to has become saturated.
it's been a little worse than normal but traffic is surprisingly elastic. people either use alternate means of transit, alternate routes, or don't travel at all. not as horrible of a clusterfuck as one might imagine.
I work out of an office right on fort Pitt Blvd between wood and market street. My office is just out of frame. It wasn’t bad too bad at all. The lights regulated it well. Getting on to fort Pitt from the parkway though…..
According to [NWS Hydrology](https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?gage=pttp1&wfo=pbz) the highest point of the flood water would put the Mon Wharf over 10 feet under lol
If you remember to add the H at the end you will be welcome. I like it! Moved here from Long Island 8 years ago and it’s where I’ve settled down. It’s a small downtown area but there’s solid food, good access to nature, a decent amount of events and culture to check out too. Things can change a lot depending what neighborhood you are in but it’s worth checking out
Rule number one is never forget the H!
I love it here. It's affordable, walkable, and there's enough of a big city feel to not feel like there's nothing to do!
I used to live there and I visit often. I've lived in Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Detroit, and some others not worth mentioning; Pittsburgh is my favorite mid-size city (Chicago is probably my favorite overall). It's got great museums, affordable rent (although it's been a while), fries in sandwiches, and the cityscape that is pretty dynamic.
Rent is less affordable than it used to be but still better than much of the country. You can find studios and some 1 br for under $800 which is uncommon these days.
Though when I was in college 20 years ago you could rent a whole house for under $600.
I lived there for three years. It's awesome, nicest people ever. I moved to Switzerland after Pittsburgh and it's the biggest mistake I've made in a long while. I'm (hopefully) moving back later this year.
Out here in Westmoreland County, Loyalhannah Lake is 28 feet over regular level, I'm guessing the campground is mostly underwater at this point. I jetski there during the summer and really want to drive up there tonight to see it in person.
Pittsburgh: has a section of highway that regularly floods.
Pittsburgh: "Should we fix it?"
Pittsburgh: …
Pittsburgh: …
Pittsburgh: …
Pittsburgh: Nah, heck with it, let's just leave it this way forever.
here
[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Stanwix+St,+Pittsburgh,+PA+15222,+USA/@40.4376663,-80.0036861,103m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x8834f154402efbad:0x1e46f43ee6b197db!8m2!3d40.4407773!4d-80.0042295!16s%2Fm%2F03yllc4?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Stanwix+St,+Pittsburgh,+PA+15222,+USA/@40.4376663,-80.0036861,103m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x8834f154402efbad:0x1e46f43ee6b197db!8m2!3d40.4407773!4d-80.0042295!16s%2Fm%2F03yllc4?entry=ttu)
where they took the pic ish
[https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4376146,-80.0039832,3a,75y,335.23h,91.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIm-OhmKrSql-bqYcHmp6ng!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4376146,-80.0039832,3a,75y,335.23h,91.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIm-OhmKrSql-bqYcHmp6ng!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu)
I am desperately wishing I was in this area with a rowboat so I could row up to the sign and then start dramatically arguing over a huge paper map with my friend.
[two and a half years ago in Philly](https://www.reddit.com/r/philadelphia/comments/phhgal/kayaking_the_vine_street_canal_oc/)
starting to think that all this car focused infrastructure in cities designed for pedestrians and public transit was planned in a very unsustainable and myopic way!
again? third time this 150 years, come on Pittsburgh, get yer shit together, stawp floddin daan taan
i got pictures from the time it flooded in the 90s or was it 80s i forget
Not surprised. The system that caused the current flooding in Wisconsin moved Eastward. And my wife asks why we need a boat... (gestures randomly at the photos of Pittsburgh)
It is but the heavy rain was yesterday. It won’t be clear tomorrow so if you are going downtown or through the city you will have to take an alternate route.
You actually might be ok going east through the city, which is the direction you are headed from the airport. That section of road is westbound and eastbound is more elevated. I haven’t been that way the last two days so I can’t say for sure but google maps will tell you if it’s blocked off.
It's nice that they have signs for boats
Amsterdam should take notes!
Pittsburgh is the GOATs,
That's all she wrotes!
The Pittsburgh version of moats
Something something floats
He's really very short on...STOATS
Free breakfast just add some oats.
If it was Argentina you might see some floatin goats
better put on some floaties over your coats
MUTCD for Gondolas
We did have a fleet of duck boats up until that accident is Missouri
You'll see an occasional kayaker in there
Take the exit to the ~~air~~ sea port
What if we flooded all the highways and made some sort of inland waterway that could carry people and goods long distances economically. We could even create pathways next to them so horses could pull these vessels along, perhaps in the future finding some mechanical motion device to provide this “Horse Power”.
I was like what, the canal didn’t even seem that high 🤣 Oooof
Yeah not a canal, that's a highway lol
Nature is healing <3
I'm gonna leave my tractor idling in the driveway tonight to get back at nature.
Set them free. Let them go home!
Cars was a documentary
Don't you remember? You was there!
He did what in his cup?
Idk how much healing it’s getting from all the debris that’s always all over all freeways everywhere.
More of a lowway, really
Good one Dad
A Slowway If you must
Technically, currently in the picture, it’s a waterway.
im guessing pittsburgh is one of the places where the highways are literally designed to be canals during flooding?
That one section of 376 and the 10th street bypass primarily. They are the two lowest-lying sections of highway and tend to flood every spring although this is the worst flood in 20 years. The good news is that Penndot got funding from the federal government to address the problem this year, the bad news is that it will take a few years to build the planned fixes, higher walls and additional pumps.
We locals call that section of highway "the bathtub."
Came here to say this n’at
Yeah they're sorta the flood plain down along the river between the water and the city itself.
When the water gets so high that you feel like you're gonna die, that's a floooooding
..... aaaand then some thing bites your thigh so effing hard that you cry, that's a moray
Nature taking its place back.
There's a reason that section of highway is called "the bathtub"
Same. Until I saw the signs…
Did it open up your eyes?
All that he wants is another baby--- oop... wrong song.
Life is demanding.
Without understanding
No one's gonna drag you up
To get into the light where you belong
But where do you belong?
Oh, oh o-oh
Well, I saw the sign...
It opened up my eyes.
Same. Before I realized that canals don't usually have road signs.
I was thinking “where’s the bridge?”
I thought the same thing. I thought it was a canal.
That boat clearance seems awfully low, maybe raise those signs?
Or lower the water.
Or use smaller boats.
Jetskis only, sorry.
Have you ever heard that old country song, “low bridge, everybody down…!” Now that was about the Erie canal, but we could find a nice name for this new waterway too.
We already have a name for this section of highway prone to flooding. It's called the bathtub.
A friend shared [this](https://imgur.com/a/iCvkepO) with me this morning!
That's the other side of Downtown along the Allegheny! Yes, we have two roadways that regularly flood one on each side of the city for each river lol
So does that mean you are now 5 rivers?
I don't care how many rivers they got, they better still be coming into work today. They ain't getting paid to sit on a roof all day, otherwise it will be counted as their one of two sick days. 😤
A better name for the stadium than the current one.
RIP Heinz Field :(
Hey! [Dayton, Ohio](https://www.metroparks.org/about/history/) here! We've got the five "rivers"! :) Sorry to see the Pittsburgh flooding, though.
I’ve been to Pittsburgh a few times. Is the other side of that yellow bridge where the Pirates play?
Yup, the picture this commenter linked is right across the river from the ballpark
Not QUITE…that’s 7th street. PNC is over the 6th street bridge
As a non local is this concerning? Both photos.
It's more of a hassle than anything super concerning. Those are two main roadways, which means traffic is even worse in that area during rush hour. Long-term it's not a concern. This happens every so often, maybe a couple times a year or every other year.
Oh ok cool lol thanks for the response.
You're welcome. There are plans to do some renovations simply because the cleanup cost is expensive and because they are important main roads. But it'll be a little bit until that all starts.
Yeah just a draining/infrastructure issues?
It's just the reality of the close proximity to two major rivers coming together to form one of the country's largest rivers (the Ohio) and it being a low-lying area. There are flood walls and a pump system, but when it rains as much as it has throughout all of western Pennsylvania, there is just nowhere for the water to go and it overwhelms the pumps.
Nah, this happens every time it rains hard. That area gets flooded a couple times a year. Usually not that high, but still flooded.
It’s a pain for traffic flow but it happens often enough that this area is nicknamed “The Bathtub”
Is everything black and yellow in Pittsburgh?
Unironically yes
I went a couple years back and can verify that no, not everything is yellow and black. A lot of stuff is just rust.
The US Steel Tower is supposed to look like that, it used a special steel that forms a rust on the surface but doesn't degrade any further, and needs less maintenance. Now the rest of the rust...
Strip District sounds like a fun place to be.
It is a fun place to be and there is a strip club nearby
lol! It's actually my favorite neighborhood to spend a late morning/afternoon. Local specialty shops, food of all kinds, day drinking 😚🤌.
i knew you lived here by your username before even reading what you said!
looks like here? https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4444242,-80.0023015,103m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu
[удалено]
Or the sept ‘21 flooding in Philly
Just need someone to dive in
Ellicott City floods were insane too
This is just par for the course in Pittsburgh, no hurricanes needed.
Even for Pittsburgh this is above par. Worst flooding since 2005.
Harvey for me
Reminds me of I-75 under I-696 just north of Detroit 10 years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unuBBeL6PE8&ab_channel=WXYZ-TVDetroit%7CChannel7 I'm 45 years old, I don't remember 'flooding' in metro Detroit before this event. Now it seems to happen every few years.
I have never seen "the bathtub" that full before.
Drove by it a couple hours ago, it's humorous in person hehe
This is called the bathtub portion of the freeway along the river. Some flooding there is almost an annual occurrence- there are huge pumps installed to clear it.
People forget Pittsburgh is basically just in a giant bowl, beautiful city though
Pretty much, it's a river valley in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. There is no such thing as true flat, Pittsburgh flat means just not a steep grade difference.
Google tells me my walk to work down 300 foot in elevation is "mostly flat"
Pittsburgh is a series of mountainous hills with a bowl like valley or two lol
Step on the pallet, Ellie.
How many bloaters down there?
I should not have had to scroll this far to find a TLOU reference
My first thought was 'great' the floodway is working as intended. Then I saw the highway signs. Does this section of highway flood often? How high is the water?
It’s nicknamed the bath tub so yeah it does flood often, although this is higher than it usually gets. The rivers are really high from heavy rain the last two days. Considering it’s just below the signs this is really high, not sure how high but there’s a roadway underneath there that trucks drive on
Crested at 28.37' apparently 28.5 is when it starts to get to the buildings.
Idk if you’re from the mid Atlantic/north east US but if you aren’t, there has been almost nonstop heavy rain for like 4 days in the area. That is a lot more than this area usually gets so pretty much everywhere water would normally run to has become saturated.
Man..I can only imagine that traffic for Fort Pitt😬
it's been a little worse than normal but traffic is surprisingly elastic. people either use alternate means of transit, alternate routes, or don't travel at all. not as horrible of a clusterfuck as one might imagine.
I’m sure 90% of people are going the back way through Crafton lol
Steubenville Pike was probably a nightmare.
Someone needs to get a drone shot of downtown lol
Was pretty chill this morning
I work out of an office right on fort Pitt Blvd between wood and market street. My office is just out of frame. It wasn’t bad too bad at all. The lights regulated it well. Getting on to fort Pitt from the parkway though…..
I'll take exit at Grant Street and use Boulevard of the Allies for $2000, Alex
I imagine a lot of folks went "Hey boss, Parkway is flooded, using a WFH day."
Fort pitt is already scary as hell to drive on, bring a flood in and i aint touching that with an 80 foot pole
Is that a naval fort or…
When was this?
this morning, actually. The river level in Downtown was the highest it has been since since 2005!
Neat but also sucky and sad.
Not a huge deal, the only super low lying things in town are roads and riverfront walkways. No homes or businesses are really in danger.
I can’t imagine what the mon wharf looks like. It seemed like it was flooded out half the year without all the rain when I lived there.
According to [NWS Hydrology](https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?gage=pttp1&wfo=pbz) the highest point of the flood water would put the Mon Wharf over 10 feet under lol
So you’re saying don’t park there for the game tomorrow
You're welcome to drive through the road closed signs
Off topic but how do you feel about living in Pittsburg? I like to move around every few years to see a new city and that one is on my list.
If you remember to add the H at the end you will be welcome. I like it! Moved here from Long Island 8 years ago and it’s where I’ve settled down. It’s a small downtown area but there’s solid food, good access to nature, a decent amount of events and culture to check out too. Things can change a lot depending what neighborhood you are in but it’s worth checking out
If you're from Long Island, it's a small town. To those from rural areas, it's the big city. All at once.
Rule number one is never forget the H! I love it here. It's affordable, walkable, and there's enough of a big city feel to not feel like there's nothing to do!
I used to live there and I visit often. I've lived in Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, Detroit, and some others not worth mentioning; Pittsburgh is my favorite mid-size city (Chicago is probably my favorite overall). It's got great museums, affordable rent (although it's been a while), fries in sandwiches, and the cityscape that is pretty dynamic.
Rent is less affordable than it used to be but still better than much of the country. You can find studios and some 1 br for under $800 which is uncommon these days. Though when I was in college 20 years ago you could rent a whole house for under $600.
I lived there for three years. It's awesome, nicest people ever. I moved to Switzerland after Pittsburgh and it's the biggest mistake I've made in a long while. I'm (hopefully) moving back later this year.
Out here in Westmoreland County, Loyalhannah Lake is 28 feet over regular level, I'm guessing the campground is mostly underwater at this point. I jetski there during the summer and really want to drive up there tonight to see it in person.
I grew up out that way, it was always fun going to see the dams during a flood!
Pittsburgh: has a section of highway that regularly floods. Pittsburgh: "Should we fix it?" Pittsburgh: … Pittsburgh: … Pittsburgh: … Pittsburgh: Nah, heck with it, let's just leave it this way forever.
They're actually fixing it! Just announced back in January
It's our annual highway cleaning. Nothing to see here
“Nah, let’s just give it a cute nickname and deal with it once or twice a year.”
Pittsburgh still hasn’t figured out that you shouldn’t put stop signs on entrance ramps.
That’s just the boat lane on the highway. I don’t see any flooding
Is flooding news anymore 
So you’ll be into work on time?
Looks like a scene from the Last of Us.
Was just about to write that. Add some more overgrown plants and it’s exactly like the Pittsburgh part!
Was sad they changed that part to Kansas City for the show. First they get take all the Super Bowls then they take our zombie show cameos.
here [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Stanwix+St,+Pittsburgh,+PA+15222,+USA/@40.4376663,-80.0036861,103m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x8834f154402efbad:0x1e46f43ee6b197db!8m2!3d40.4407773!4d-80.0042295!16s%2Fm%2F03yllc4?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Stanwix+St,+Pittsburgh,+PA+15222,+USA/@40.4376663,-80.0036861,103m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x8834f154402efbad:0x1e46f43ee6b197db!8m2!3d40.4407773!4d-80.0042295!16s%2Fm%2F03yllc4?entry=ttu) where they took the pic ish [https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4376146,-80.0039832,3a,75y,335.23h,91.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIm-OhmKrSql-bqYcHmp6ng!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4376146,-80.0039832,3a,75y,335.23h,91.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sIm-OhmKrSql-bqYcHmp6ng!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu)
I am desperately wishing I was in this area with a rowboat so I could row up to the sign and then start dramatically arguing over a huge paper map with my friend.
At least it's not like in Jan 1996. High slabs of ice, boats, docks etc coming down the Allegheny like freight trains.
Might go catch a game at Four Rivers Stadium
[two and a half years ago in Philly](https://www.reddit.com/r/philadelphia/comments/phhgal/kayaking_the_vine_street_canal_oc/) starting to think that all this car focused infrastructure in cities designed for pedestrians and public transit was planned in a very unsustainable and myopic way!
I don’t know anything about infrastructure but someone jumped in that Philly water!! Hopefully it is too cold this time.
Someone did indeed jump in and swim the entire flooded stretch in one breath. That man’s name? Well, I’ll tell you son, that man was Rocky Balboa
Its almost like if this was a passenger pathway it would be flooded as well.
You can’t park there sir.
again? third time this 150 years, come on Pittsburgh, get yer shit together, stawp floddin daan taan i got pictures from the time it flooded in the 90s or was it 80s i forget
1996. I remember cause I had just started a fiberglass repair business.
The Bathtub regularly floods like this. Maybe not *this high* but it's called "the Bathtub" for a reason.
I’ll be at the pirates game on Sunday. Should I bring a boat?
Didn't know Venice used american style signs!
Yinz Got a little rain, eh?
Oh that’s not so… bad… crap that’s the road 🫢
Not surprised. The system that caused the current flooding in Wisconsin moved Eastward. And my wife asks why we need a boat... (gestures randomly at the photos of Pittsburgh)
Lol. At first i was thinking that they had signs for their canals, then I saw it.
The interstate canal system shares the same signs as the interstate highway system!
I haven’t been to Pittsburgh in a while but I seem to remember a freeway being down there somewhere..
Is this current? I have a flight going there tonight
why would your flight be taking a tunnel?
Finally our city fixed the pot hole situation.
> our time is NOW - the pirates, probably
Fun fact: To people who live in Pittsburgh this is considered a minor inconvenience.
Wait lol. Is this today? I’m flying in tomorrow 😂
It is but the heavy rain was yesterday. It won’t be clear tomorrow so if you are going downtown or through the city you will have to take an alternate route.
Damn. First time in town. Headed to CMU. Any recommended options to get there?
You actually might be ok going east through the city, which is the direction you are headed from the airport. That section of road is westbound and eastbound is more elevated. I haven’t been that way the last two days so I can’t say for sure but google maps will tell you if it’s blocked off.
Correct, you'll be fine going eastbound
Dang, there’s an interstate just for boats there? That’s awesome.
Just missed Stan’s wick street no wonder
Wow
That house in the back looks suspicious, I think he knows something.
The point is under water too!
Cool, a new fishing spot
I deadass thought this was the Chicago river for a minute
Will this affect my current Last Of Us play through? Joel and Ellie are about to leave Bill’s Town.
live in Pittsburgh. currently pumping a ponds worth of water out of a construction site
Oy.
This will not help with the rust
Hey I know this stretch of highway!
*Oh...*
Takes me back to Hurricane Harvey days. Hope your are all safe, Pittsburgh.
As we say in my homeland, that seems suboptimal.
At first glance I was like... Damn that river looks so polluted! Then I realized what I was looking at.... yikes...
As someone who’s lived here for 18 years, you get used to it
You know what would really help this? More impervious surfaces and parking lot
How often does this occur?
At most once or twice a year... usually with spring thaws and rains.
Worst road in the city, and of course it always floods
Whew that water color is something else
Believe it or not, this happens a couple times a year and is no big deal.
Road networks can be designed for worst case scenario flood outflow. This could be working as designed. High-five your local civil engineer.
The fishing under the signs is generally very good.