Morning Roundup: Work on Parkway East to shutter traffic in Monroeville; sunny skies in week ahead

Here are some of the latest news items happening this morning, Monday, July 21:

Parkway East work to impact Monroeville traffic

Part of Old William Penn Highway in Monroeville will temporarily close to traffic Monday night, weather permitting, PennDOT officials announced.

Motorists will not be able to travel on Old William Penn Highway between Evergreen Drive and Duff Road from 9 p.m. Monday through noon Tuesday, officials said. Crews will be placing a bridge deck on part of Interstate 376, or Parkway East, that travels over the roadway.

The road is expected to reopen under the bridge Tuesday, officials said. Temporary traffic signals will control traffic.

This work is part of a $70.1 million Parkway East “betterment project,” officials said. Through that work, crews will replace a superstructure over Old William Penn Highway, rehabilitate two nearby bridges and preserve six different bridges along the highway.

Long-term single-lane restrictions are expected, officials said. Traffic will be reduced to a single lane on several weekends.

Sunny and dry week ahead, forecast shows

The Pittsburgh region should remain sunny and rain free for much of the work week, according to National Weather Service meteorologists at the agency’s Moon office.

From Monday through Thursday, it appears conditions will be sunny or mostly sunny through much of Southwestern Pennsylvania, with highs in the 80s, meteorologists said. The mercury could rise into the 90s on Thursday, with heat index values in the upper 90s in the afternoon.

A chance of rain — about 60% — arrives Friday, where thunderstorms are likely in the afternoon, the NWS said. Heat index values will remain in the upper 90s.

The chance of rain is forecast at 70% for Saturday, according to the NWS. Sunday could be partly sunny, with a lower chance of rain.

Blasting work on Mon River to disrupt traffic

Work to remove a wall on a locks-and-dams facility along the Monongahela River will result in some traffic and pedestrian disruptions near the border of Elizabeth and Forward townships, officials said.

Work at the facility will take place between 2 and 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, weather permitting, according to officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Pittsburgh District.

Traffic restrictions will be in place — for cars and pedestrians — in both directions on parts of Bunola River Road, or Route 2001, the U.S. Army Corps said. Southbound traffic will be stopped at the Cherry Lane intersection.

Audible signals will alert the public about impending blasts at the lock wall, officials said.

A one-minute series of loud signals will play five minutes before the last, followed by short signsl one minute before the blast. A prolonged signal will announce an “all clear” status.

Locks and Dam 3 is one of nine navigation structures providing year-round access on the Monongahela River between Pittsburgh, and Fairmont, W.Va., the U.S. Army Corps said on its website.