West Penn hospital to Airport during @ 5pm... (Duquesne, Sewickley: university, camp) - Pittsburgh - Pennsylvania (PA) - City-Data Forum

OniNoKen · 11-20-2013, 11:38 PM

What is the best(fastest) route to get from west penn hospital on friendship to the air port @ 5 pm? How long should we expect that drive to take?

cheezit34141988 · 11-21-2013, 05:24 AM

Depends weekday vs. weekend.

Option 1 - Liberty to Bloomfield Bridge to Bigelow Blvd then shimmy through DT onto Ft. Pitt/376.

Option 2 - Liberty to 40th St, over to 28 South then through the North Shore to 376.

My thoughts would be Option 1 if weekend, Option 2 if weekday.

If this is for tomorrow, then scrap both and start walking.

AaronPGH · 11-21-2013, 05:49 AM

I live in friendship and tend to go with Option 2. Traffic inbound on 28 isnt usually bad. You'll hit some snarls merging on to Fort Pitt bridge And on 376 west around greentree, but thats unavoidable. Give yourself an hour, minimum.

Burghgirl17 · 11-21-2013, 05:56 AM

Helicopter.
But seriously, I would go with option 2. Fighting through downtown is unpredictable.

OniNoKen · 11-21-2013, 07:16 AM

Is it worth it to go up 65 to University to avoid the tunnel and green tree hill?

gg · 11-21-2013, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtrtrggr13

Option 2 - Liberty to 40th St, over to 28 South then through the North Shore to 376.

If this is for tomorrow, then scrap both and start walking.

I like this option. 28 inbound will be okay. You will hit the stop and go stuff on the bridge into the tunnel and all the crazy merging, BUT it isn't as bad as people whine about. Once you are through the tunnel it won't be all that horrible. Of course if there is a wreck or something, that changes everything. As far as Friday goes, I don't agree. Friday traffic is odd. Sometimes at 5:00, many people have cut out early from work if it is sunny. If it is raining, the traffic seems worse. At least that has been my observation.

Anyway, leave yourself plenty of time if you can, so you aren't all stressed out driving. Is there a way you can leave earlier, so you can just relax and listen to some music on your drive, instead of pretending you are going to make time by tailgating others and such?

cheezit34141988 · 11-21-2013, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h_curtis

I like this option. 28 inbound will be okay. You will hit the stop and go stuff on the bridge into the tunnel and all the crazy merging, BUT it isn't as bad as people whine about. Once you are through the tunnel it won't be all that horrible. Of course if there is a wreck or something, that changes everything. As far as Friday goes, I don't agree. Friday traffic is odd. Sometimes at 5:00, many people have cut out early from work if it is sunny. If it is raining, the traffic seems worse. At least that has been my observation.

Anyway, leave yourself plenty of time if you can, so you aren't all stressed out driving. Is there a way you can leave earlier, so you can just relax and listen to some music on your drive, instead of pretending you are going to make time by tailgating others and such?

Was referring to Light-Up Night, not Fridays in general.

AaronPGH · 11-21-2013, 08:55 AM

Wait, tomorrow is light-up night? I wonder how this will affect the 28x? I was planning on taking that to catch a flight after work...

cheezit34141988 · 11-21-2013, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

Wait, tomorrow is light-up night? I wonder how this will affect the 28x? I was planning on taking that to catch a flight after work...

Yup. And your guess is as good as mine. I'll jitney you for a few benjamins...it'll get me out of this dinner I have to go to downtown

greg42 · 11-21-2013, 09:46 AM

Yeah, light up night is tomorrow. So both would be bad on that particular day.

Otherwise I like Option 1 because I simply can't stand trying to merge into the Ft Pitt from the north. Ugh ugh. Do you know how far it backs up at that time of day? Traffic is stop and go all the way across Ft Duquesne Bridge and around to the back of PNC Park. If you get on 376 at the Mon end of Stanwix Street (at Ft Pitt Blvd) you get to merge in from the left almost at the Ft Pitt bridge. Although I don't know what that would look like at 5:30 which is about when you'd get there if you leave the hospital at 5.

Who is the person I suggested to take 279 north to Camp Horne and actually did that? That is what I would do. It may not be shorter in time and definitely not in distance but it'll keep you moving more. The approaches to 279 aren't great either but they are better than crossing all of downtown. You can go 40th St. If you have 2 people in the car you can use the HOV lane, either cross at 9th Street Bridge or you go up to Bedford Ave near the arena.

Still not sure I would take 65 all the way down. Sewickley Bridge can still be iffy. I would take 79 from 65, down to 376, which will have a backup from 79 over to about Ikea, but it's not too bad, keeps moving for the most part.

You need at least an hour regardless of how you go. Possibly more. If trying to make a flight, I'd want it to be later than 8pm. If picking someone up, oh well, they might be waiting a bit.