Police crack down near road work
Drivers should expect an increased presence from state police this construction season, particularly on Interstate 70, as troopers crack down on those violating traffic laws.
“We are continuing to do as much enforcement as we can in the construction zones,” said Lt. Douglas Bartoe, patrol section supervisor for Troop B in Washington. “This is a heavy construction season, but we are trying to do our best.”
Bartoe noted construction on I-70 is happening or will happen not only at the Murtland Avenue interchange, but near the Taylorstown and Centerville exits. A lane closure is scheduled tonight and Friday night on I-70 in the Murtland construction zone. He said there will also be a lane closure for work on the south junction with Interstate 79.
The work near the Murtland Avenue interchange is for construction of a diverging diamond interchange. The eight miles of highway between the West Chestnut Street and Taylorstown exits is being repaved. Work is slated to start next month on reconstruction of the Monongahela/Centerville exit. There will be weekend lane restrictions over two weekends in late June or early July at the south junction for work to remove two bridges that will be replaced with box culverts.
Most of the traffic problems appear to be at interstate ramps, particularly going from Interstate 79 south to I-70 east where drivers are not yielding to traffic on the main line of I-70.
“It is very tight through there because of the bridge over Locust Avenue so there is no room to accelerate,” Bartoe said. “Yield means that if it is not safe to enter the highway, you must stop and wait for a safe place to enter the roadway.”
State police are also finding problems at the ramp from Route 19 south to Interstate 70 west.
“We have had a few crashes,” Bartoe said. “We are trying to get signs notifying drivers who are continuing west to stay in the left lane to make it easier for drivers trying to merge. The volume of traffic is so high through there, I think it has more daily traffic than some of the routes around Pittsburgh.”
Bartoe said drivers should avoid the Murtland area when northbound traffic on Route 19 is switched to the newly repaved northbound lanes, planned for June 12 or 13.
“And June 26 will be a nightmare,” he said, referring to the planned switch of one eastbound lane on I-70 over to the westbound side of the highway as part of the Murtland project.
Troopers will be patrolling the highway as well as sitting at the end of queues in the construction zone.
“We plan on carrying this extra enforcement through the construction season,” Bartoe said.