Airport Driving Route (Pittsburgh, Greensburg, Latrobe: house, prices, to eat)

[Kippy]

What is the best way to drive to the airport from Greensburg during morning rush hour? If I take the turnpike to 395, I imagine that I'll see heavy delays at the Squirrel Hill tunnel. Then, on the return trip, I imagine that there will be back-ups at the Liberty Tunnel.

I am thinking of taking 70 West, to 79 North, to 395 West. It adds about twenty miles to the trip, but I am guessing that it'll save a bit of time. Does 79 North see much in terms of rush hour traffic?

Basically, what are your time estimates for the driving time from Greensburg to the airport via the two aforementioned routes?

[Hopes]

You won't have to worry about traffic if you're going against rush hour.

If you are going with rush hour, I suggest the Parkway (376E) to 79N to 76E.

It's 1 hour 30 minutes. It's almost the same miles as the 70 route but it's faster.

Actually, I recommend this route if it's rush hour or not.

Have you checked out the flights into Latrobe airport? I hear the prices aren't bad.

[Love2Golf09]

I assume you mean 376, not 395, right? I've never heard of 395 before. Yes, I think your route would probably be best. Take 66 south to 70, 70 west to 79, then 79 north to the parkway west. I've driven 79 north many times and there is very little congestion on that end, even during rush hour, because you will have 3 lanes to work with. Taking the parkway east is always sketchy. It can be a breeze or it can be a disaster. If there is an accident or someone's car breaks down on the pkwy east, then you could be looking at a 30 min delay or longer, not to mention that even in good traffic you are lucky to hit 45mph on it. Also, I took the turnpike north just last week and there was massive delays between irwin and monroeville...and this was around lunch time. I would strongly suggest taking 70, even though that road is a nightmare and i hate it.

[Kippy]

Originally Posted by Love2Golf09

I assume you mean 376, not 395, right? I've never heard of 395 before. Yes, I think your route would probably be best. Take 66 south to 70, 70 west to 79, then 79 north to the parkway west. I've driven 79 north many times and there is very little congestion on that end, even during rush hour, because you will have 3 lanes to work with. Taking the parkway east is always sketchy. It can be a breeze or it can be a disaster. If there is an accident or someone's car breaks down on the pkwy east, then you could be looking at a 30 min delay or longer, not to mention that even in good traffic you are lucky to hit 45mph on it. Also, I took the turnpike north just last week and there was massive delays between irwin and monroeville...and this was around lunch time. I would strongly suggest taking 70, even though that road is a nightmare and i hate it.

Sorry; I meant to say 376. Thanks for the input. I have been stuck in traffic at the Squirrel Hill tunnels enough time in off-peak hours, that I fear what it is like on a regular morning rush hour.

[Kippy]

Originally Posted by Hopes

You won't have to worry about traffic if you're going against rush hour.

If you are going with rush hour, I suggest the Parkway (376E) to 79N to 76E.

It's 1 hour 30 minutes. It's almost the same miles as the 70 route but it's faster.

Actually, I recommend this route if it's rush hour or not.

Have you checked out the flights into Latrobe airport? I hear the prices aren't bad.

I am picking someone up at the airport, and their flight lands at 9:00 AM. Therefore, I'll be going with rush hour in both directions -- on the way to the airport, and on the way home from the airport.

Your suggestion would be possible on the way home, but at eighty-two miles and one hour and thirty-three minutes (according to Google Maps) it makes it longer than the Route 70 options, which is seventy-six miles and one hour and twenty-three minutes (ibid). Of course, experience can tell one more than Google Maps, but I wonder if your preferred route is actually any faster.

Another option is to get a bite to eat in the Robinson area until the morning crush is over, and drive home the "normal" way, through the city.

I am really excited about the growth of Latrobe's airport, but unfortunately, Spirit doesn't have any useful destinations in terms of hosting/visiting friends and family.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Kippy

I am picking someone up at the airport, and their flight lands at 9:00 AM. Therefore, I'll be going with rush hour in both directions -- on the way to the airport, and on the way home from the airport.

Wait, I'm not getting this. What are you doing all day that means you'll be with rush hour on the way home? By the time you leave the airport with a flight that lands at 9:00, morning rush will have dissipated enough to not worry about, I think, or at least I wouldn't. The other way around is so much longer and 70 is more of a substandard road. There may still be some backup at the Ft Pitt tunnel when you hit there pushing 10:00, but it wouldn't be that bad.

As far as taking 70 to 79, the issue is when you get to the Parkway (376) there is some backup there on the ramp to go towards the airport and on that road for a short time, at least in the morning rush. Still, it's not like the Squirrel Hill backup. I don't really know how to compare the drive times enough.

Best thing to do would be have the person chill until you pick them up at about 10. It wouldn't really be that much assuming there is checked luggage. It would be pushing 9:30 already after getting that, assuming the flight actually lands on time. You could leave the house at 9 and the traffic should be plenty over by the time you hit those parts, or at least over enough to make it be shorter than the other way.

[Hopes]

YEah, there is no way you will be in rush hour after picking someone up from a 9am flight. Rush hour is over at 9am.

I'm telling you, 76 is faster than 70, especially inbound to the airport during rush hour because 79 north from 70 gets congested in the morning near the parkway.

And Greg has the best solution. If the flight lands at 9am, he she won't be available to pick up until after 9:30. Even if you leave your house at 8:30, you really should miss most of the traffic because you won't be near Pittsburgh until 9am. You could easily miss rush hour entirely if you time it properly.

When I say take 76 to 79, I mean 79, not 279. You shouldn't have any traffic heading South on 79 in the morning because all of the northern traffic heading into town takes 279. Any heavy traffic heading south on 79 is after where you get off at the parkway to head west to the airport. You'll miss the worst part of the parkway entirely.

[Love2Golf09]

Originally Posted by Hopes

YEah, there is no way you will be in rush hour after picking someone up from a 9am flight. Rush hour is over at 9am.

I'm telling you, 76 is faster than 70, especially inbound to the airport during rush hour because 79 north from 70 gets congested in the morning near the parkway.

And Greg has the best solution. If the flight lands at 9am, he she won't be available to pick up until after 9:30. Even if you leave your house at 8:30, you really should miss most of the traffic because you won't be near Pittsburgh until 9am. You could easily miss rush hour entirely if you time it properly.

When I say take 76 to 79, I mean 79, not 279. You shouldn't have any traffic heading South on 79 in the morning because all of the northern traffic heading into town takes 279. Any heavy traffic heading south on 79 is after where you get off at the parkway to head west to the airport. You'll miss the worst part of the parkway entirely.

I've never tried this route, but it just doesn't sound good. Driving from Greensburg to Irwin, then taking the turnpike all the way to cranberry, then south on 79 to the parkway west? Eh, I dunno. That's a long drive from Irwin to cranberry. And 79 south to 376 isn't quick either.

[escilade18]

Originally Posted by Love2Golf09

I've never tried this route, but it just doesn't sound good. Driving from Greensburg to Irwin, then taking the turnpike all the way to cranberry, then south on 79 to the parkway west? Eh, I dunno. That's a long drive from Irwin to cranberry. And 79 south to 376 isn't quick either.

That route might work out best depending on whether or not the OP decides to pick up the person at10 as suggested earlier.
On another note, I have done both ways before (well maybe not exactly to the airport, but the general area) and have found the 79 to 70 route to be significantly slower. On I70 the speed limit is 55 and you can expect to do that if not slower due to the large amount of truck traffic. Also, once you get past New Stanton, you have to deal with traveling through Youngwood which can add time to the trip.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Love2Golf09

I've never tried this route, but it just doesn't sound good. Driving from Greensburg to Irwin, then taking the turnpike all the way to cranberry, then south on 79 to the parkway west? Eh, I dunno. That's a long drive from Irwin to cranberry. And 79 south to 376 isn't quick either.

Thank you for admitting that you're not speaking from experience. I am. I've done both.