Work begins to return Allegheny Circle to 2-way traffic

Two years ago, a contractor changed Allegheny Circle on Pittsburgh’s North Side from four lanes of one-way traffic to two, adding bike lanes and parking, along with improving crosswalks for pedestrians.

Now, the city has started the second phase of the project: changing traffic to both directions rather than one way; improving the bicycle lanes with a safety barrier and connecting them to other existing lanes in the area; and installing new traffic signals, curb ramps and pavement markings. The project should be finished by the end of the year.

“We’re really happy to see the full realization of the original plan,” said Mark Fatla, executive director of the Northside Leadership Conference. “It will be a significant improvement. It will return that area to a traditional neighborhood street rather than the four-lane moat road.”

When the Allegheny Center shopping complex was built in the 1960s, the city created around the site a one-way, fourlane road, which, Mr. Fatla said, residents objected to almost immediately. With the shopping center gone for more than three decades, the city worked with residents and new owners Faros Properties to change the traffic pattern and improve safety.

Faros has converted most of the site into a high-tech office hub known as Nova Place.

Most of the work on the $3.2 million project, which began Monday, will occur during daylight hours Monday through Friday. Traffic will be limited to one lane during the work.

Additionally, there will be periodic road closures throughout the neighborhood during the project. The first one begins immediately and will close a portion of Ridge Avenue and East Ohio Street at Allegheny Commons through early July.

The recommended detour for East Ohio Street involves Cedar Avenue to East North Avenue to North Federal Street. For Ridge Avenue, motorists are advised to use Arch Street to West North Avenue to North Federal Street.

Mr. Fatla said he’s anxious to get this project finished, but he noted his organization is still pushing for the city to reconnect East and West Ohio streets through the plaza at Nova Place and in front of the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and the New Hazlett Theater. The group would like to see Federal Street joined through Nova Place, but that project is complicated by major fiber optic cables that run through that area.