Letter: Bridge Project on Thompson Run Continues Without Acceptable Traffic Plan

Thompson Run Road has been closed to traffic just south of the Amity Road intersection since early July. Although the project was supposed to be finished last month, county officials now say the project has been delayed until next spring. According to a Post-Gazette article published last week, wet weather and poor runoff in the area has delayed the contractor. The following letter in response to that news was submitted by Ross Township resident Ben Hess. 

Having lived in the neighborhood now for more than 15 years, I travel along Amity Road each and every day. While my home does not sit along Amity Road, I can echo what Marsha Logan states about what she has witnessed from vehicles who disregard the "official" detour and instead chose to cut through the unregulated residential housing plan via Amity and Sutter Roads.

I personally voiced my concerns to the Ross Township Board of Commissioners at public meeting the same day the closure of Thompson Run Road was announced. Most of the Board of Commissioners were unaware of the scheduled closure when I spoke, due to the short notice issued by Allegheny County.

My concerns about traffic flow, traffic volume, speeding and possible safety issues for pedestrians and school children waiting for busses were heard but largely dismissed with promises of police patrols and an inability to routinely regulate traffic due to manpower and other priorities.

I predicted to the Board of Commissioners that this project had the potential to become the massive headache and inconvenience for the residents. My observations have been that there has been infrequent police enforcement along Amity Road and that the volume of traffic has both increased as time has gone on, and the numbers of drivers disregarding stop signs, speed limits and displaying aggressive behavior is the norm rather than an exception.

The claims of 40-hour work weeks at the project site by the contractor are stunning to me as I have also noted these long periods of no work or minimal work at the site in nice weather. The contractor may have payroll records "indicating greater than a 40-hour work week" but as a resident who travels past the job site at least twice a day every day since it began, I do not believe that I could agree that I ever saw a 40-hour work week on the bridge.

Adding insult to what these residents along the formerly quiet, residential Amity Road have endured for many months, they must now deal with this situation until the projected completion date of May 2012.

Shame on Allegheny County, Ross Township and Pugliano Construction.

Perhaps now that there is some media attention to this situation there can be a constructive meeting with concerned residents, their elected officials and Pugliano Construction to mitigate or better control the traffic flow and safety issues that obviously exist before we are forced to deal with a much worse situation or tragedy.

- Submitted by Ross Township resident Ben Hess.

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