Latest news with #JasonZang
CBS News
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Parkway North HOV lanes remain closed due to repairs, impacting around 30,000 drivers daily
Around 30,000 drivers a day are being impacted due to the Parkway North's HOV lanes ongoing closure due to repairs in Pittsburgh. PennDOT found five bridge piers considered "high priority" with problems. 18 other piers will also be repaired during the traffic restrictions. PennDOT emphasized that the open lanes are safe. If there was any doubt, they would be shut down. The closed HOV lanes will put more stress on the I-279 main lines in both the morning and afternoon. As the repair work began with a single cracked pier, it has now extended to quite a few more, the most critical of which is holding up the I-579 main line on the north end of the Veterans Bridge. "We've got to utilize the HOV to maintain mainline, 279, traffic while we perform the repairs," said Jason Zang, PennDOT District 11 executive. "The repairs require us to jack the beams off of the substructure, off of the piers and we can't do that with the traffic on them." While crews continue the aforementioned work to make the repairs, all southbound destined mainline I-579 traffic will be diverted onto the HOV Lane just south of McKnight Road. "Traffic wants to go to the Veterans Bridge, and I-579 will have to cross into the HOV lanes there, and then it will cross back out on the main span of the Veterans Bridge over the Allegheny River," said Zang. This will result in a complete reversal of the pattern drivers have been taking since the Parkway North opened in 1989. Traffic to the Veterans Bridge will now have to get over to the left to get into the cross under the Swindel Street Bridge. It's going to take crews until July 11 to get everything configured and the switch made before they can even start the repairs on the southbound side. Zang said it will take two months to do all that work and then switch it over to a northbound crossover. The HOV lane is closed until further notice and when that northbound crossover happens, the ramp from southbound Route 28 to the Veterans Bridge, which carries 11,000 vehicles a day, will also close. The biggest wrinkle in all of this will be for the 30,000 drivers who are used to coming down through the East Street valley on the right side to get to the Veterans Bridge. They will now have to get to the left side at McKnight Road to get into the crossover onto the HOV lane.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
57 PennDOT projects will begin in Pittsburgh region this year
PennDOT is scheduled to begin 57 projects in the Pittsburgh region this year. The projects will take place in District 11, which includes parts of Allegheny, Beaver and Lawrence counties and span across 551 miles of road and 43 bridges. PennDOT officials said the construction is the result of investments made by Governor Shapiro's administration. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Channel 11 Exclusive: New technology to protect drivers to be installed on major local highway 'This increased infrastructure investment in the Pittsburgh region allows us to provide a safe and efficient roadway network,' said District 11 Executive Jason Zang. 'We have a lot of exciting and unique projects anticipated to begin this year and we ask motorists to exercise caution through our work zones to ensure the safety of themselves and our workforce.' Notable projects that are expected to begin this year include: Route 22/30 over I-376 Parkway West Interchange project in Allegheny County, estimated $50-60 million. Route 28 Wrong Way Detection System Safety project in Allegheny County, $4.8 million. I-79 at Route 910 Wexford Interchange project in Allegheny County, estimated $50-60 million. Route 2114 McKeesport Duquesne Bridge Preservation project in Allegheny County, estimated $55-65 million. Route 18 Frankfort Road Bridge Replacement project in Beaver County, $25.3 million Route 68 Reconstruction project in Beaver County, $6.1 million. Notable ongoing projects that will conclude this year include: Route 8 Butler Street to Saxonburg Boulevard Improvement project in Allegheny County, $9.1 million. Route 50 – I-79 to Vanadium Road Widening project in Allegheny County, $5.6 million. I-79 – Campbells Run Road to Moon Run Betterment project in Allegheny County, $14.9 million. I-376 Parkway West – Boyce Road to I-79 Preservation project in Allegheny County, $12.6 million. Route 885 Boulevard of the Allies Bridge Preservation project in Allegheny County, $44.9 million. Route 3104 McKees Rocks Bridge Preservation project in Allegheny County, $38.6 million. Route 4003 McKnight Road Improvement project in Allegheny County, $27 million. Route 18 – Liberty Street to Jefferson Street Improvement project in Lawrence County, $13.2 million About 40 previous projects will continue into 2025. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
PennDOT officials discuss construction alternatives for Parkway East interchanges
PennDOT engineers say 100-thousand vehicles use the Parkway East daily. The heavily used highway hasn't had any significant changes to its interchanges since it was built in the early 1950s. PennDot Executive for District 11, Jason Zang said, 'It's such a challenging area. We're working in such a tight corridor as it is. When they put the parkway in back in the 50′s they just carved it right through neighborhoods.' Jason Zang with PennDot says the approach engineers used when building 376 over 70 years ago - will not be the same for the Parkway East Squirrel Hill Interchange Improvement Project. Zang said, 'We don't want to move or relocate people. That's the last thing we want to do.' PennDot laid out its plans to a crowded auditorium at Greenfield Elementary where it showed renderings of four different construction alternatives. 'We're trying to think about this from every angle. Parkway safety, residential safety and then the local traffic safety,' Zang explained. Interchanges both on and off the parkway east on the city side of the Squirrel Hill tunnel will get updated - with the work starting just west of the Greenfield Bridge Overpass. Jacob Greenberg lives right on the border of the interchange. Jacob Greenberg said, 'It's about once a week that I see the semis bust their tire on that curve and I would say at least twice a month that I see somebody wreck on that sharp curve or rear end or something like that.' PennDOT plans to redesign all on and off-ramps, improve retaining walls, bridges and sidewalks. Theresa Nightingale lives in Beechwood. She's worried she and her elderly neighbors could lose parking. Theresa Nightingale said, 'There's no parking on top, there's no parking on the sides - I'm not sure where everybody would go. We just need to make sure there's parking and make sure that the folks can access it safely - especially our seniors.' PennDot says it continues to collect feedback from people in the area. Work is slated to start in about 4 years. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
