Change in Traffic Pattern Expected to Transform Local Business District

For the first time in nearly 30 years, bi-directional traffic will be restored on Chartiers Ave./State Route 51 in the McKees Rocks business corridor. To celebrate the historic event, the McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, November 14th at 3:00pm at Hollowood Music (601 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA).

Special guests Senator Wayne Fontana, Representative Dan Deasy, and Dan Cessna (PennDOT District 11) will be on hand for comments on this important step towards a revitalized business district. The 17,000 vehicles that navigate the corridor daily will now be redirected past the facades of local businesses, a development that is expected to influence economic improvement in the community.

Local residents, businesses, and area commuters have questioned the current split traffic pattern on lower Chartiers Avenue for years. Many see this split flow as an obvious impediment to development and pedestrian safety, creating high speed traffic through the business district, while moving the inbound downtown Pittsburgh traffic behind local businesses onto Furnace Street.

The municipality successfully secured $117,338 through PennDOT’s Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) program to fund the conversion of lower Chartiers back to two way traffic. Borough Secretary, Tricia Levander, identified and authored the grant application and feels that Senator Fontana’s advocacy was critical to the Borough being awarded the grant.

“This is an absolute necessity if we hope to once again make lower Chartiers Avenue a thriving business district,” said Keith Schwab, President of Borough Council.