Letter to the editor: Thankful for all who improved Route 28

I have been traveling to Pittsburgh from Natrona Heights since 1981, and I would like to thank the designers, construction workers and agencies who funded the work on Route 28 in these past 42 years.

I started at the Bradford School and worked a co-op position at PPG when they were in Gateway Center. At that time, the missing piece of the “Expressway Route 28” between Creighton and Natrona Heights was still woodlands. My travels found detours around the widening of the Etna overpass and the stretch beyond the overpass that used to be called a death trap due to opposing narrow lanes being so close together.

I don’t recall the exact order of the projects, but detours around the removal of the 31st Street Bridge traffic lights and 40th Street Bridge lights; reconstruction of those bridges; the added lane to the Pittsburgh Mills area from Harmar (and don’t forget, the signs used to show “Harmarville”); and finally the added lanes with new approaches to the Highland Park Bridge taught me all of the back roads that get you from point A to B around Pittsburgh. It sure does make for a long commute.

One recent day, I drove from the Parkway Center in Greentree to home in less than 40 minutes during the 4 p.m. rush hour. That trek has always been an hour or more. I rarely look forward to driving to work but am excited to make that drive now that the southbound lanes have been opened near the Highland Park Bridge.

I didn’t think I would see this day before retiring. Thank you all very much!

Jane Ann Posney

Harrison