In July, the Wilkins Township board of commissioners sent a letter to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission strongly opposing its most recent Mon-Fayette Expressway proposal because of its potential negative impact on our residents. Our primary concern is that the additional traffic generated will increase congestion on Route 22 and Interstate 376, which are already overcrowded. Additional traffic on these roads will likely cause some motorists to seek alternate routes, many of which are also already congested.
These impacts would be felt not only by Wilkins residents but also by the broader population that lives and works in Pittsburgh’s eastern suburbs and East End. More localized impacts include increased air pollution and noise and the potential loss of local roads and residential property.
Generally residents in Wilkins and surrounding areas are not seeking quicker access to Jefferson Hills and the Mon Valley, which can be accessed amply using Routes 30, 148, 48 and 837. The turnpike commission has made the claim that the Mon-Fayette Expressway, when combined with other existing and potential toll roads, would provide an alternate route to the Pittsburgh International Airport. Other shorter alternate routes already exist such as connecting Route 65 via Routes 28 or 376. Further, this rather roundabout secondary path to the airport is not worth sacrificing convenient access to Downtown Pittsburgh.
The project as currently conceived seems to be centered around bringing people into Monroeville and does not holistically address the transportation needs of Pittsburgh’s eastern suburbs and East End. Further it encourages individuals to move farther out from the urban core and take on longer commutes. The nearly $2 billion required for the newest iteration of the Mon-Fayette Expressway would be better spent making improvements to Interstate 376 and reducing congestion on that highway by significantly expanding regional transit and multi-modal and active transportation options.
Before the turnpike commission’s current proposal is contemplated further, community leaders, PennDOT, the Port Authority and the turnpike commission should meet to discuss the transportation needs and challenges of our region and consider a wider array of potential solutions that benefit the broadest range of residents.
MICHAEL BOYD
Board of Commissioners
Wilkins
First Published: February 11, 2016, 5:00 a.m.