Extending the Mon Fayette Expressway in PA

[WvAlmostHeaven]

Originally Posted by CTMountaineer

It appears it is possible PA will be working on extending the Mon Fayette to Monroeville, affording a quicker, more direct way of getting from NCWV to Pittsburgh and avoiding the need to use Parkway West and the nearly always congested and often backed up Fort Pitt Tunnels.

Vote allows for continuation of Mon-Fayette Expressway extension | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Taking the MonFayette expressway all the way to Monroeville to get to Pittsburgh is neither quicker nor more direct. The Mon - Fayette Expressway already offers two pretty good alternate routes to Pittsburgh via 51 in Uniontown or 51 in Jefferson Hills. I'd never pay to go all the way to Monroeville and then backtrack west into Pittsburgh.

[villageidiot1]

Originally Posted by NOVAmtneer82

I don't know how this road makes Pittsburgh more accessible to NCWV. If you're going to the places in Pgh most people actually want to visit (Downtown, Oakland, the North Shore ballpark area etc) via Monroeville then you have to take the Parkway East into town which is every bit as congested at the Squirrel Hill tunnel as Fort Pitt is from the west. And you now have the added bonus of paying tolls on this route as well.

I agree! The Squirrel Hill Tunnel is a mess during rush hour but can get backed up at any time for no apparent reason. Route 51 is no bargain but if you've driven up Route 43, Route 51 is your best bet into downtown Pittsburgh even with this extension.

Originally Posted by WvAlmostHeaven

Taking the MonFayette expressway all the way to Monroeville to get to Pittsburgh is neither quicker nor more direct. The Mon - Fayette Expressway already offers two pretty good alternate routes to Pittsburgh via 51 in Uniontown or 51 in Jefferson Hills. I'd never pay to go all the way to Monroeville and then backtrack west into Pittsburgh.

Even if the goal is to get to Monroeville, there are already two options. You can pick up Route 119 at Uniontwon and take it to New Stanton and get on the Turnpike to Monroeville. This is shorter but has a two lane section and a half dozen lights through Connellsville

The other option is to Take Route 43 to I-70, and then take I-70 to New Stanton, and Turnpike to Monroeville.

The people who will benefit the most from this project are the people in the east suburbs of Pittsburgh and beyond. I know people east of Pgh who will stay in a motel around the airport if they have an early morning flight on weekdays. Some people from Westmoreland and Fayette counties will take I-70 to I-79 to avoid the Parkway East at those times.