Commute from Squirrel Hill to Cranberry

[greg42]

My coworker (lives in Shaler) just told me recently how packed the turnpike is at evening rush going eastbound from Cranberry (lots of commuters going home). Husband works in Cranberry and does go that way. I don't think it has serious slowdowns, but it does have a lot of traffic. Getting to/from turnpike is effectively no different than getting to/from 79, so any gains have to all be on the city end.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by greg42

My coworker (lives in Shaler) just told me recently how packed the turnpike is at evening rush going eastbound from Cranberry (lots of commuters going home). Husband works in Cranberry and does go that way. I don't think it has serious slowdowns, but it does have a lot of traffic. Getting to/from turnpike is effectively no different than getting to/from 79, so any gains have to all be on the city end.

Get an Easy Pass, you never have to wait in line.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Get an Easy Pass, you never have to wait in line.

Also these days get about 20% off tolls. But it's not so much the toll plaza as it is the traffic at the ends and heavy traffic on the mainline. Plus the express EZ pass still only has one lane doesn't it? Last I was there that was it, although it was a couple months ago now.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by greg42

Also these days get about 20% off tolls. But it's not so much the toll plaza as it is the traffic at the ends and heavy traffic on the mainline. Plus the express EZ pass still only has one lane doesn't it? Last I was there that was it, although it was a couple months ago now.

The Hampton exit only has one, but I think there are more at Cranberry. Haven't been to that Soulless place recently.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Copanut

The Hampton exit only has one, but I think there are more at Cranberry. Haven't been to that Soulless place recently.

Cranberry has zip; there is no toll plaza between the Warrendale main line and the Ohio main line. I'm talking about the lane through the Warrendale plaza where you can keep going at full speed. This can get bogged down if you have a lot of cars trying to go through there, or more likely a buncha semis.

[DurangoJoe]

Originally Posted by greg42

Cranberry has zip; there is no toll plaza between the Warrendale main line and the Ohio main line. I'm talking about the lane through the Warrendale plaza where you can keep going at full speed. This can get bogged down if you have a lot of cars trying to go through there, or more likely a buncha semis.

It usually flows at about 50-55mph thru there at the moment. Too many people slow down for it like it's a tunnel or something.

[SteelCityRising]

I think the challenge with the South Side-to-Cranberry commute for jay5835's friend will be getting to and from Route 8 for that "back way" that had been suggested. Speaking from personal experience there have been times a jaunt from Polish Hill to the Lawrenceville Wendy's, which is right near the 40th Street Bridge, has taken me nearly a half-hour due to immense gridlock that backs Butler Street up past Doughboy Square. I know there can be a lot of traffic heading into Oakland from the South Side in the mornings, too.

This city desperately needs a better transit system BEFORE we start encouraging more growth.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I think the challenge with the South Side-to-Cranberry commute for jay5835's friend will be getting to and from Route 8 for that "back way" that had been suggested. Speaking from personal experience there have been times a jaunt from Polish Hill to the Lawrenceville Wendy's, which is right near the 40th Street Bridge, has taken me nearly a half-hour due to immense gridlock that backs Butler Street up past Doughboy Square..

Figuring out the best way on city streets is certainly the challenge for any of these "back ways" to be faster. Although the particular issue in question here, I wouldn't go on Butler. That's never been good for me. If going that way I'd go up Liberty and turn on 40th there. Might even consider Bloomfield Bridge and then over that way. Not that there isn't backup on 40th because there is. (You could probably WALK down there in half an hour, but coming back uphill would be killer.) Copanut actually suggested going through Oakland and taking the Highland Park, but I'm not sure that's much better. It's not like you'd be going reverse to the commuting patterns the whole way. Part of the way should be reverse though.

Picking out the best route or two would require significant trial and error I should think.