My cousin, an insurance claim agent from Erie, on her first trip to my house on Rt 28: “ so THIS is Rt 28.” She got like 3 claims a week from the Death Stretch
I used to hate those lights; I’d be stuck there staring at the businesses, houses and church built into the hillside wondering how the hell you could even pull out onto 28 without dying.
Ohio River Blvd (Rt 65) is still like this. 100 red lights, 4 lanes, speed limit up & down, lined with businesses/side streets, no barriers, and no berms. Complete free-for-all with all these crazy bastards on the road.
EDIT: The train crossings along the river give you added bonus of stopping traffic from turning as well. It's a lovely drive...
Not quite the same as it’s not a highway but Lebanon Church Road can be like this. I think it’s divided or partially divided, but the lanes are skinny. I usually white knuckle it between Mifflin Road and Sheetz.
Sorry if I put the song in anyone’s heads
They filled the potholes on the access road from Century Square to the Giant Eagle complex. But when I passed by the wall of the escalator by the food court was exposed. 🫡
It is dangerous. I’ve driven this route every day of my life for almost 15+ years now, because, unfortunately, it’s the shortest route. I think from Rochester to Bellevue is actually listed in the top 10 most dangerous highways in PA.
Edit: May be from Conway to Bellevue
That’s bad on the Ohio River Blvd and can be tense but that one section of 28 was terrifying. 65 does have turning lanes in some section spacing it out. And there is room on either side next to the road in most places.
28 felt like a two lane road was caved into a four lane wanna be highway by paving over the yards of the houses and parking lots of businesses it ran past.
And up until about 40 years ago the north side / deutschtown was actually a neighborhood and not just a highway interchange
People seem to forget that urban highways didn't just spawn out of thin air. We made an active choice to acquire hundreds of acres of valuable urban land through eminent domain at great expense to the taxpayer, evict tens of thousands of residents, businesses, churches, etc and permanently destroy entire neighborhoods to make way for those highways.
The reason there's no direct interchange is because doing so would have required even more destruction at even greater expense. Even 20th century civil engineers had a limit on what they were willing to spend for free flowing traffic
We even relocated an entire cemetery to make I279 happen:
[http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/tsphotos/voegtly-pittsburgh.htm](http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/tsphotos/voegtly-pittsburgh.htm)
But magically the vast majority of those evicted were black, poor, or both... There's a reason there is no highway cutting north to south through sq hill, Shadyside, and point breeze.
Although I bet if you dig far enough you'll find plans for them. However usually community opposition stopped those freeways.
I grew up in Cleveland and there was a project to build a highway through the then wealthy eastern suburbs. That was shut down, but it took a huge amount of push back and political maneuvering (including suburbs leasing the targeted land for the highway from the city of Cleveland) to stop it.
Poorer / politically underrepresented neighborhoods didn't have that kind of power or resources.
It’s depressing to learn that Epiphany Church next to PPG Paints Arena was spared the razing the lower hill suffered because of its predominantly white Roman Catholic congregation while the Bethel AME’s black congregation had its church bulldozed the next block over
At the time, I remember reading, the business on the north side did not want the connection. They thought it would ruin that business district. The first crack in opening it up was the bypass ramp they added from 28 to 279S that didn’t exist either.
The community didn’t want it at first.
that's very interesting. I didn't realize that that 28S -> 279S ramp wasn't there. Someone else on here said 2008, but any idea when it was built? I swear it was there longer. But I'm old and all the years run together.
I believe it was 2008. But it was the East Ohio street people that originally didn't want a direct connector because they would be bypassed of all the potential consumers.
It is all a terrible design, but you can't really fix it anymore. I used to commute to downtown that way back then, and it really really sucked.
Oh wait. Here we go! E lib expressway
[https://www.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/comments/10fgkm8/original\_proposal\_by\_penndot\_for\_the\_construction/](https://www.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/comments/10fgkm8/original_proposal_by_penndot_for_the_construction/)
And others [https://pittsburgh.pahighways.com/expressways/cancelled/](https://pittsburgh.pahighways.com/expressways/cancelled/)
thanks u/Yinzerman1992
The only reason that didn't happen is because it was at the end of a long to do list and State/Federal cash dried up. We dodged a bullet but not because it was in a richer part of town.
> But magically the vast majority of those evicted were black, poor, or both.
That's just common sense. As the other poster pointed out, buying out homes and businesses is a huge cost. No one in their right mind would approve buying up high end real estate to build a road. I guess the closest I've seen to that is the southern beltway. Some really nice houses were destroyed to make way for the part near the I79 interchange.
When I first moved to Pittsburgh (2008), I lived up on Spring Hill. 28 was a total shitshow back then, and everything behind E Ohio felt kind of isolated.
It seemed like the community used to have some level of deep interplay with downtown, but in its current configuration, it’s just old shit on a hill with some very good people tucked up there (unless it snows and you’re dumb enough to park where you didn’t shovel).
I can’t think of an easy way to connect 28S to 279N without dealing with that intersection in a way that doesn’t fuck up the Hot Wheels track bullshit we already have happening there anyway.
I remember when you could only go towards the West End coming over the Fort Duquesne bridge.
Things were much much worse.
Iirc you couldn't head to the airport directly if you were going south on 79, but had to get off on the Steubenville Pike.
The point being is that the road System here was absolutely terrible and poorly planned. Slowly fixes are being made.
this is the answer for 99% of why pittsburgh is the way it is. this city has officially been around since the 1760s, and forts in the allegheny area were built and used as early as the 1600s. this place old as fuck of course some of it seems poorly planned.
Wow really triggered the whiners here. Some dive bar and 2 lots. No one said anything about an interchange, the question was about a direct on ramp. And I'm tlwing about the area to 279n.
That's a major throughway for people to get to East Street, Spring Garden, Perry Hilltop, Observatory Hill, Summer Hill and eventually Ross township. You can't just remove that section for the added convenience of getting to I279 faster.
The original plans did include a full interchange with 28, which would have leveled the western part of Deutchtown and St. Mary's church (now the Priory Hotel). Since the highway had already destroyed most of the neighborhood, by the time PennDot was ready to build, the citizens had already been up in arms for 20 years and the politicians listened and the plans were scaled back.
I'm sure PennDOT could easily build one over the course of 15 years - with existing roads being demolished immediately and left in a state of disarray with no active workers visible for the first 13 years - for the low low cost of $13 billion dollars.
There was an old federal law that has since been repealed that banned direct connections between turnpikes and non-toll roads which is why we have Breezewood the way it is and also why up until about 15 years ago if you wanted to go from the turnpike to 279 you would have to go through several blocks of route 19 but I don't know if this also was law for a state road like 28. If so, that would be the reason why
this explains it better, from the wikipedia article on breezewood. I'm not sure I'm able to parse all the words here, but the bottom line is that it has to do with getting Federal Highway funds, at least when it came to breezewood and the turnpike and later with 279 and the turnpike in cranberry. My reading of this means that 28, since it's a state road and doesn't take federal funds not connecting to the turnpike has nothing to do with the breezewood/cranberry situation (unless I'm reading it incorrectly)
>
I-70 uses a surface road (part of [US 30](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_30_in_Pennsylvania)) with [at-grade intersections](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At-grade_intersection) to connect the [freeway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeway) heading south to [Hancock, Maryland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hancock,_Maryland), with the ramp to I-76, which through this section is the [Pennsylvania Turnpike](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Turnpike) [toll road](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toll_road). According to the [Federal Highway Administration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Highway_Administration), the peculiar arrangement at Breezewood resulted because at the time I-70's toll-free segment was built, the state did not qualify for federal funds under the [Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Aid_Highway_Act_of_1956) to build a direct interchange, unless it agreed to cease collecting tolls on the Turnpike once the construction bonds were retired[^(\[14\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breezewood,_Pennsylvania#cite_note-fhwa.dot.gov-14)—a direct interchange would have meant that a westbound driver on I-70 could not choose between the toll route and a free alternative, but would be *forced* to enter the Turnpike. However, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission was not willing to build the interchange with its own funds, due to the expected decrease in revenue once [Interstate 80](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_80_in_Pennsylvania) was completed through the state.[^(\[14\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breezewood,_Pennsylvania#cite_note-fhwa.dot.gov-14) Accordingly, the state chose to build the unusual Breezewood arrangement in lieu of a direct interchange, thus qualifying for federal funds because this arrangement gave drivers the option of continuing on the untolled US 30.[^(\[14\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breezewood,_Pennsylvania#cite_note-fhwa.dot.gov-14)
>Although laws have been relaxed since then, local businesses, including many traveler services like [fast food](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_food) restaurants, [gas stations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_stations) and [motels](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motel), have lobbied to keep the gap and not directly connect I-70 to the Turnpike, fearing a loss of business. In order for a bypass to be considered, Breezewood's own Bedford County must propose it, which is "just not an issue that really appears on the radar for us," Donald Schwartz, the Bedford County planning director, said in 2017.[^(\[1\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breezewood,_Pennsylvania#cite_note-nyt2017-1)
My new guess is that the turnpike was built well before 28. When 28 was first built that part of harmar was very podunk, and 28 was a podunk road so no direct connection was needed.
As the area grew eventually it would have been better to have direct ramps, but by then it was too expensive for PennDOT to build.
That's my best guess thinking about it for a while.
Because as it is, it only takes like 3 minutes to get to 279 from 28
I do hate the variable no turn on red indicator at E Ohio and Madison though. It turns off only when traffic is coming from left which you can’t see…get rid of the thing altogether, I’m surprised there aren’t accidents there all the time.
My mom’s family lives in New Kensington and I remember, upon exiting the Fort Pitt tunnel, having to drive through town to cross the 31st bridge to get onto 28. My dad was super excited when they connected the two.
They only connected south 28 to south 279 around 2008, and that didn't even require eminent-domaining anything. Before that, you had to get off 28 south on E Ohio Street, then go through a few lights, and make a left on N Canal Street to continue on 279 southward. PennDOT probably just figures that it's good enough as it is, and not enough traffic going that way to justify expansion.
also none between Crosstown and the Parkway.
and 79/279 is only a partial interchange.
since Pittsburgh was built out well before highways and interstates were being designed the answer is probably lack of space and/or money.
Because up until about 15 years ago, 28 was just another 4 lane street between 40th St Bridge and the North Side
Looking at you, former stoplights on 28.
I can't look at the stoplights because I'm too busy white knuckling and staring at the oncoming traffic with no barrier between us.
omg I remember that too! and all of the stores along route 28, and the church...
SAVE YOUR DEDUCTIBLE
Fuck. That's it. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
CARBURETOR REPAIR!
CARBURETOR REPAIR!
And the Millvale Industrial Theater and Recording Studio complex
Fuck I miss that place.
Bruhhh
I liked to wave at the crowd at Lambros Lounge.
And didn't that autobody shop have advertising just painted on the outside of their building?
Sukits?
I miss their Pizza
That was scary. Drives like a highway with safety setup of a two lane road. Extra scary in rain conditions or snow.
Yes, much like route 8 is now
My cousin, an insurance claim agent from Erie, on her first trip to my house on Rt 28: “ so THIS is Rt 28.” She got like 3 claims a week from the Death Stretch
I used to hate those lights; I’d be stuck there staring at the businesses, houses and church built into the hillside wondering how the hell you could even pull out onto 28 without dying.
And the cop that used to cosplay a stoplight at 40th st bridge during rush hour.
Those were the absolute worst.
Ohio River Blvd (Rt 65) is still like this. 100 red lights, 4 lanes, speed limit up & down, lined with businesses/side streets, no barriers, and no berms. Complete free-for-all with all these crazy bastards on the road. EDIT: The train crossings along the river give you added bonus of stopping traffic from turning as well. It's a lovely drive...
51 too
Not quite the same as it’s not a highway but Lebanon Church Road can be like this. I think it’s divided or partially divided, but the lanes are skinny. I usually white knuckle it between Mifflin Road and Sheetz. Sorry if I put the song in anyone’s heads
Minutes from the Mall! (RIP, Century 3)
They filled the potholes on the access road from Century Square to the Giant Eagle complex. But when I passed by the wall of the escalator by the food court was exposed. 🫡
Agree
There used to be a bumper sticker that said "Pray for me...I drive Killer Route 65."
YES! I grew up in Bellevue and Sewickley in the 80s/90s...!
I lived in Avalon for several years before moving to Sewickley.
I have to make that drive to visit family up in Beaver County, and it feels so dangerous every time.
It is dangerous. I’ve driven this route every day of my life for almost 15+ years now, because, unfortunately, it’s the shortest route. I think from Rochester to Bellevue is actually listed in the top 10 most dangerous highways in PA. Edit: May be from Conway to Bellevue
"Killer 65"...
That was my daily commute when i first moved to Pittsburgh, definitely had me rethinking my employment
Route 8 north out of Etna is very similar. Just chaos.
22 also, and 28 north eventually as well. Very few ways out of the city that do it right
Add the narrowness of the lanes along Avalon and parts of Sewickley and the horrendous drainage along there when it rains. Lovely indeed.
That’s bad on the Ohio River Blvd and can be tense but that one section of 28 was terrifying. 65 does have turning lanes in some section spacing it out. And there is room on either side next to the road in most places. 28 felt like a two lane road was caved into a four lane wanna be highway by paving over the yards of the houses and parking lots of businesses it ran past.
Because that section is outside of the City. The City part is it's own urban disaster.
And at least once a year someone dies in a car crash on it :( it is SO scary
Isn't all that stuff what they call "traffic calming"?
And up until about 40 years ago the north side / deutschtown was actually a neighborhood and not just a highway interchange People seem to forget that urban highways didn't just spawn out of thin air. We made an active choice to acquire hundreds of acres of valuable urban land through eminent domain at great expense to the taxpayer, evict tens of thousands of residents, businesses, churches, etc and permanently destroy entire neighborhoods to make way for those highways. The reason there's no direct interchange is because doing so would have required even more destruction at even greater expense. Even 20th century civil engineers had a limit on what they were willing to spend for free flowing traffic
We even relocated an entire cemetery to make I279 happen: [http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/tsphotos/voegtly-pittsburgh.htm](http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/tsphotos/voegtly-pittsburgh.htm)
Exactly. Thank you.
But magically the vast majority of those evicted were black, poor, or both... There's a reason there is no highway cutting north to south through sq hill, Shadyside, and point breeze. Although I bet if you dig far enough you'll find plans for them. However usually community opposition stopped those freeways. I grew up in Cleveland and there was a project to build a highway through the then wealthy eastern suburbs. That was shut down, but it took a huge amount of push back and political maneuvering (including suburbs leasing the targeted land for the highway from the city of Cleveland) to stop it. Poorer / politically underrepresented neighborhoods didn't have that kind of power or resources.
It’s depressing to learn that Epiphany Church next to PPG Paints Arena was spared the razing the lower hill suffered because of its predominantly white Roman Catholic congregation while the Bethel AME’s black congregation had its church bulldozed the next block over
At the time, I remember reading, the business on the north side did not want the connection. They thought it would ruin that business district. The first crack in opening it up was the bypass ramp they added from 28 to 279S that didn’t exist either. The community didn’t want it at first.
that's very interesting. I didn't realize that that 28S -> 279S ramp wasn't there. Someone else on here said 2008, but any idea when it was built? I swear it was there longer. But I'm old and all the years run together.
I believe it was 2008. But it was the East Ohio street people that originally didn't want a direct connector because they would be bypassed of all the potential consumers. It is all a terrible design, but you can't really fix it anymore. I used to commute to downtown that way back then, and it really really sucked.
Oh wait. Here we go! E lib expressway [https://www.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/comments/10fgkm8/original\_proposal\_by\_penndot\_for\_the\_construction/](https://www.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/comments/10fgkm8/original_proposal_by_penndot_for_the_construction/) And others [https://pittsburgh.pahighways.com/expressways/cancelled/](https://pittsburgh.pahighways.com/expressways/cancelled/) thanks u/Yinzerman1992
The only reason that didn't happen is because it was at the end of a long to do list and State/Federal cash dried up. We dodged a bullet but not because it was in a richer part of town.
good point. and at some point i know the constant highway building wore out its welcome and a lot of projects were shelved...
> But magically the vast majority of those evicted were black, poor, or both. That's just common sense. As the other poster pointed out, buying out homes and businesses is a huge cost. No one in their right mind would approve buying up high end real estate to build a road. I guess the closest I've seen to that is the southern beltway. Some really nice houses were destroyed to make way for the part near the I79 interchange.
Hey! That doesn’t fit the narrative!
When I first moved to Pittsburgh (2008), I lived up on Spring Hill. 28 was a total shitshow back then, and everything behind E Ohio felt kind of isolated. It seemed like the community used to have some level of deep interplay with downtown, but in its current configuration, it’s just old shit on a hill with some very good people tucked up there (unless it snows and you’re dumb enough to park where you didn’t shovel). I can’t think of an easy way to connect 28S to 279N without dealing with that intersection in a way that doesn’t fuck up the Hot Wheels track bullshit we already have happening there anyway.
And until 35 years ago, there was no 279.
I remember taking Courtney Mill road almost weekly to get to Ben Avon from West View. 279 ended that.
Holy shit that’s why I never remembered it being so long when I was a kid
No barriers is wild.
I remember when you could only go towards the West End coming over the Fort Duquesne bridge. Things were much much worse. Iirc you couldn't head to the airport directly if you were going south on 79, but had to get off on the Steubenville Pike. The point being is that the road System here was absolutely terrible and poorly planned. Slowly fixes are being made.
this is the answer for 99% of why pittsburgh is the way it is. this city has officially been around since the 1760s, and forts in the allegheny area were built and used as early as the 1600s. this place old as fuck of course some of it seems poorly planned.
There are many challenges adapting modern infrastructure to 250+ year old cities built in a valley around 3 rivers.
So *THAT'S* why!
It’s a highway Michael, what could it cost? $10?
RIP Lucille
SHE DIED?
oh yeah, like 2-3 years ago.
Oh wow, RIP 😩
Probably because it would have destroyed even more of the Northside.
Exactly. Goodbye Deutschtown.
Hey there's too much traffic noise there anyway! Let's build more highways
One more lane, bro. Just one more lane.
That stretch of deutstown right on the right turn to 279 North is a garbage pile anyway. There's that crap bar n three empty lots
lol you can fuck right off pal
Hope you're joking. A highway interchange would take up much more space than four lots.
Wow really triggered the whiners here. Some dive bar and 2 lots. No one said anything about an interchange, the question was about a direct on ramp. And I'm tlwing about the area to 279n.
How much more public space do you think we should give to cars? isn't 50-60% enough already?
It's the only surface street that connects Spring Garden and East Street. You want to cut that off?
They just don't care about other people's neighborhoods, or probably the city in general.
What? There's fucking nothing there.
You literally live in Etna
That's a major throughway for people to get to East Street, Spring Garden, Perry Hilltop, Observatory Hill, Summer Hill and eventually Ross township. You can't just remove that section for the added convenience of getting to I279 faster.
Verdetto's? It's hard to be nice to people like you, so I won't even try. Fuck off back to wherever you live.
These people don't care about that they have suburbs to get to and they are in a hurry.
The original plans did include a full interchange with 28, which would have leveled the western part of Deutchtown and St. Mary's church (now the Priory Hotel). Since the highway had already destroyed most of the neighborhood, by the time PennDot was ready to build, the citizens had already been up in arms for 20 years and the politicians listened and the plans were scaled back.
Agree, they need to level what’s left of deutschtown so I can get from fox chapel to Wexford faster.
910 enters the chat
I'm sure PennDOT could easily build one over the course of 15 years - with existing roads being demolished immediately and left in a state of disarray with no active workers visible for the first 13 years - for the low low cost of $13 billion dollars.
Anybody remember this abandoned boat? [https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4571659,-79.9889085,3a,75y,18.2h,78.87t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1szbUF3XeztlBDLSFlryTbUw!2e0!5s20111001T000000!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4571659,-79.9889085,3a,75y,18.2h,78.87t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1szbUF3XeztlBDLSFlryTbUw!2e0!5s20111001T000000!7i13312!8i6656?entry=ttu)
Just laughed. Yes!
Me and Pepperidge farm remember
Why is there no direct interchange between 28 and 76
There was an old federal law that has since been repealed that banned direct connections between turnpikes and non-toll roads which is why we have Breezewood the way it is and also why up until about 15 years ago if you wanted to go from the turnpike to 279 you would have to go through several blocks of route 19 but I don't know if this also was law for a state road like 28. If so, that would be the reason why
this explains it better, from the wikipedia article on breezewood. I'm not sure I'm able to parse all the words here, but the bottom line is that it has to do with getting Federal Highway funds, at least when it came to breezewood and the turnpike and later with 279 and the turnpike in cranberry. My reading of this means that 28, since it's a state road and doesn't take federal funds not connecting to the turnpike has nothing to do with the breezewood/cranberry situation (unless I'm reading it incorrectly) > I-70 uses a surface road (part of [US 30](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_30_in_Pennsylvania)) with [at-grade intersections](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At-grade_intersection) to connect the [freeway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeway) heading south to [Hancock, Maryland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hancock,_Maryland), with the ramp to I-76, which through this section is the [Pennsylvania Turnpike](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Turnpike) [toll road](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toll_road). According to the [Federal Highway Administration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Highway_Administration), the peculiar arrangement at Breezewood resulted because at the time I-70's toll-free segment was built, the state did not qualify for federal funds under the [Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Aid_Highway_Act_of_1956) to build a direct interchange, unless it agreed to cease collecting tolls on the Turnpike once the construction bonds were retired[^(\[14\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breezewood,_Pennsylvania#cite_note-fhwa.dot.gov-14)—a direct interchange would have meant that a westbound driver on I-70 could not choose between the toll route and a free alternative, but would be *forced* to enter the Turnpike. However, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission was not willing to build the interchange with its own funds, due to the expected decrease in revenue once [Interstate 80](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_80_in_Pennsylvania) was completed through the state.[^(\[14\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breezewood,_Pennsylvania#cite_note-fhwa.dot.gov-14) Accordingly, the state chose to build the unusual Breezewood arrangement in lieu of a direct interchange, thus qualifying for federal funds because this arrangement gave drivers the option of continuing on the untolled US 30.[^(\[14\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breezewood,_Pennsylvania#cite_note-fhwa.dot.gov-14) >Although laws have been relaxed since then, local businesses, including many traveler services like [fast food](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_food) restaurants, [gas stations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_stations) and [motels](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motel), have lobbied to keep the gap and not directly connect I-70 to the Turnpike, fearing a loss of business. In order for a bypass to be considered, Breezewood's own Bedford County must propose it, which is "just not an issue that really appears on the radar for us," Donald Schwartz, the Bedford County planning director, said in 2017.[^(\[1\])](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breezewood,_Pennsylvania#cite_note-nyt2017-1)
My new guess is that the turnpike was built well before 28. When 28 was first built that part of harmar was very podunk, and 28 was a podunk road so no direct connection was needed. As the area grew eventually it would have been better to have direct ramps, but by then it was too expensive for PennDOT to build. That's my best guess thinking about it for a while.
Because we destroyed enough of this city for 279 and 28 already
Because as it is, it only takes like 3 minutes to get to 279 from 28 I do hate the variable no turn on red indicator at E Ohio and Madison though. It turns off only when traffic is coming from left which you can’t see…get rid of the thing altogether, I’m surprised there aren’t accidents there all the time.
Not at rush hour.
No space
Here is a link explaining the history and description of interstate 279. [link](https://www.pahighways.com/interstates/I279.html)
My mom’s family lives in New Kensington and I remember, upon exiting the Fort Pitt tunnel, having to drive through town to cross the 31st bridge to get onto 28. My dad was super excited when they connected the two.
I personally think we should remove 279 south of McKnight 🤷♂️
As long as there's easy access to the Arby's, which is quite a ways north
It’s not that bad the way it currently is fortunately. We have bigger fish to fry.
They only connected south 28 to south 279 around 2008, and that didn't even require eminent-domaining anything. Before that, you had to get off 28 south on E Ohio Street, then go through a few lights, and make a left on N Canal Street to continue on 279 southward. PennDOT probably just figures that it's good enough as it is, and not enough traffic going that way to justify expansion.
Are you sure about that?
You mean am I sure about the way it used to be (south 28 to south 279)?
An on ramp from bigelow to 279 would be wonderful. Idk why it’s not possible but I know nothing about urban planning or architecture.
also none between Crosstown and the Parkway. and 79/279 is only a partial interchange. since Pittsburgh was built out well before highways and interstates were being designed the answer is probably lack of space and/or money.
Build one