Interstate 376 (I-376) is a major
auxiliary route
In road transportation in the United States, a special route is a road in a numbered highway system that diverts a specific segment of related traffic away from another road. They are featured in many highway systems; most are found in the Int ...
of the
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...
in the US state of
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, located within the
Allegheny Plateau
The Allegheny Plateau , in the United States, is a large dissected plateau area of the Appalachian Mountains in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio. It is divide ...
. It runs from
I-80
Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...
near
Sharon
Sharon ( he, שָׁרוֹן ''Šārôn'' "plain") is a given name as well as an Israeli surname.
In English-speaking areas, Sharon is now predominantly a feminine given name. However, historically it was also used as a masculine given name. In I ...
south and east to a junction with the
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike) is a toll highway operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A controlled-access highway, it runs for across the state. The turnpike's we ...
(
I-76
Interstate 76 may refer to:
Interstate Highways in the United States
* Interstate 76 (Colorado–Nebraska)
* Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey), running through Pennsylvania
Video gaming
* ''Interstate '76
''Interstate '76'' is a vehicular c ...
, its parent) in
Monroeville, after having crossed the Pennsylvania Turnpike at an interchange in
Big Beaver. The route serves
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
and its surrounding areas and is the main access road to
Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, is a civil–military international airport in Findlay Township and Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Located about 10 miles (15 km) west of downtown Pittsbur ...
(PIT).
Portions of the route are known as the Beaver Valley Expressway, Southern Expressway, and Airport Parkway.
Within
Allegheny County
Allegheny County () is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in Southwestern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,250,578, making it the state's seco ...
, the route runs along the majority of the Penn-Lincoln Parkway, known locally as Parkway West and Parkway East. It is currently the ninth-longest auxiliary Interstate route in the system and second only to
I-476
Interstate 476 (I-476) is a auxiliary Interstate Highway of I-76 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The highway runs from I-95 near Chester north to I-81 near Scranton, serving as the primary north–south Interstate corridor through e ...
within Pennsylvania.
I-376 is signed east–west despite running north–south for nearly three-quarters of its length; however, it does run east–west through the majority of Allegheny County. This is because, until 2009, the route's western terminus was at
I-279
Interstate 279 (I-279), locally referred to as Parkway North, is a north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway that lies entirely within Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Its southern end is at I-376 at the Fort Pitt Bridge in Pittsburgh, an ...
in
Downtown Pittsburgh
Downtown Pittsburgh, colloquially referred to as the Golden Triangle, and officially the Central Business District, is the urban downtown center of Pittsburgh. It is located at the confluence of the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River whose ...
; it was extended west and north to I-80 to give the corridor a single route designation. Despite the route's direction, it serves as a major artery through Pittsburgh's
West End, with
I-79
Interstate 79 (I-79) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from I-77 in Charleston, West Virginia, north to Pennsylvania Route 5 (PA 5) and PA 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a primary thoroughfare ...
being the primary route through Pittsburgh's
North Hills. Since its 2009 extension, the route has also served as a major way to access
Northeast Ohio
The region Northeast Ohio, in the US state of Ohio, in its most expansive usage contains six metropolitan areas ( Cleveland–Elyria, Akron, Canton–Massillon, Youngstown–Warren, Mansfield, and Weirton–Steubenville) along with eight m ...
.
A stretch of the Beaver Valley Expressway, officially named the James E. Ross Highway, from exit 15 where I-376 ends its brief
concurrency
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
with
U.S. Route 422 (US 422) to exit 31 where I-376 has its first interchange with
Pennsylvania Route 51
Pennsylvania Route 51 (PA 51) is a major state highway in Western Pennsylvania. It runs for from Uniontown to the Ohio state line near Darlington, where it connects with Ohio State Route 14. PA 51 is the termination point for Pennsylvania ...
(PA 51), is
tolled and is maintained by the
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) is an agency created in 1937 to construct, finance, operate, and maintain the Pennsylvania Turnpike (both the mainline and the Northeast Extension). The commission consists of five members. Four membe ...
(PTC), while the remainder of the highway is maintained by the
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) oversees transportation issues in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, currently Yassmin Gramian. Presently, Pe ...
(PennDOT). Near the airport, I-376 also has a
business loop
A business route (or business loop, business spur, or city route) in the United States is a short special route connected to a ''parent'' numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or ...
.
Route description
Beaver Valley Expressway and Airport Parkway
![Pennsylvania Route 60 Tollway](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Pennsylvania_Route_60_Tollway.jpg)
I-376 begins at a
cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which all turns are handled by slip roads. To go left (in right-hand traffic; reverse directions in left-driving regions), vehicles first continue as one road passes over or under the ...
with
I-80
Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...
and
PA 760 located east of
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
within the
Glaciated Allegheny Plateau
The Glaciated Allegheny Plateau is that portion of the Allegheny Plateau that lies within the area covered by the last glaciation. As a result, this area of the Allegheny Plateau has lower relief and gentler slopes than the relatively rugged Ung ...
. From there, it travels in a southerly direction on the Beaver Valley Expressway, a four-lane freeway with a wide grass median. Paralleling
PA 18, I-376 has its first interchange with that state highway in
West Middlesex.
I-376 soon meets
US 422 and forms an overlap with that highway along the west side of
New Castle. After an interchange with
US 224 in
Union Township, I-376 eastbound splits from US 422 at a
trumpet interchange
In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, using ...
southwest of the city in
Taylor Township. At this point, I-376 becomes a
toll road
A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road (almost always a controlled-access highway in the present day) for which a fee (or ''toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented ...
officially named the James E. Ross Highway.
I-376 continues southward, still paralleled by PA 18 and the
Beaver River to the east. Shortly after entering
Beaver County near
Koppel, the route connects to its parent route
I-76
Interstate 76 may refer to:
Interstate Highways in the United States
* Interstate 76 (Colorado–Nebraska)
* Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey), running through Pennsylvania
Video gaming
* ''Interstate '76
''Interstate '76'' is a vehicular c ...
(
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike) is a toll highway operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A controlled-access highway, it runs for across the state. The turnpike's we ...
) for the first time at an interchange which also provides access to
PA 351. Around this area, I-376 crosses into the
Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau
The Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau is located in an arc around southeastern Ohio, West Virginia, into western Pennsylvania and a small portion of southwestern New York State.
This area is a dissected plateau, characterized by sandstone, shale, an ...
, where it remains for the remainder of its length.
I-376 then passes to the east of
West Mayfield and becomes a non-tolled highway again at its first interchange with
PA 51 in
Chippewa Township, just west of
Beaver Falls
Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers ar ...
. The freeway then weaves through mountainous terrain, interchanging with
PA 68 in
Vanport just before crossing the
Vanport Bridge
The Vanport Bridge is a four-lane continuous truss bridge that carries Interstate 376 (former Pennsylvania Route 60) across the Ohio River in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. A total of $10,476,268 was spent on construction of the 1,762-foot bridge o ...
over the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
. It then has its second interchange with PA 18 near
Kobuta and continues south from there. I-376 passes to the west of
Aliquippa
Aliquippa is the largest city in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, located on the Ohio River about northwest of Pittsburgh. The population was 9,238 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.
Formerly the l ...
before leaving Beaver County and entering
Allegheny County
Allegheny County () is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in Southwestern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,250,578, making it the state's seco ...
.
Approaching
PIT, I-376 bends south-southwest and becomes the Southern Expressway, while the Beaver Valley Expressway diverges to the southeast along
I-376 Business (I-376 Bus). I-376 circles around the southern edge of the airport, intersecting the western terminus of the Southern Beltway (
PA Turnpike 576) at the main entrance to PIT before recombining with I-376 Bus and becoming the Airport Parkway, still four lanes and with a narrow median.
Parkway West
![Interstate 376 - Pennsylvania (8461449162)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Interstate_376_-_Pennsylvania_%288461449162%29.jpg)
Now traveling southeast, the route comes to a
partial cloverleaf interchange
A partial cloverleaf interchange or parclo is a modification of a cloverleaf interchange.
The design has been well received, and has since become one of the most popular freeway-to-arterial interchange designs in North America. It has also bee ...
with the Penn-Lincoln Parkway (
US 22 and
US 30) and Steubenville Pike (
PA 60) in
Robinson Township. The two US Routes join I-376 here in a partially-unsigned concurrency (indicated only on
reassurance marker
A reassurance marker or confirming marker is a type of traffic sign that confirms the identity of the route being traveled on. It does not provide information found on other types of road signs, such as distances traveled, distances to other locat ...
s), continuing east-southeastward bearing the Penn-Lincoln Parkway name, and soon reach an interchange with
I-79
Interstate 79 (I-79) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from I-77 in Charleston, West Virginia, north to Pennsylvania Route 5 (PA 5) and PA 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a primary thoroughfare ...
. From that point eastward, along what was known for many years as I-279, I-376 runs east-southeast through
Rosslyn Farms and
Carnegie before turning northeast and passing through
Green Tree.
Entering the city of
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
, I-376 winds its way northeast to its second interchange with PA 51 at Saw Mill Run Boulevard, which is also part of a spread-out series of ramps linking Banksville Road (
US 19) and
US 19 Truck. This junction, located just before the freeway passes under
Mount Washington
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River.
The mountain is notorious for its erratic weather. On the afternoon of April 12, 1934, ...
in the
Fort Pitt Tunnel
The Fort Pitt Tunnel is a vehicular tunnel under Mount Washington in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It connects the West End region on the southwest side to the South Shore neighborhood on the northeast side. The adjoining Fort Pitt Bridge on the n ...
, features the infamous
wrong-way concurrency
A concurrency in a road network is an instance of one physical roadway bearing two or more different route numbers. When two roadways share the same right-of-way, it is sometimes called a common section or commons. Other terminology for a concurre ...
of the northbound and southbound directions of US 19 Truck.
![Interstate 376 - Pennsylvania (8461447378)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Interstate_376_-_Pennsylvania_%288461447378%29.jpg)
After passing through the Fort Pitt Tunnel, I-376 emerges onto the four-lane double-deck
Fort Pitt Bridge
The Fort Pitt Bridge is a steel, double-decked tied arch bridge, bowstring arch bridge that spans the Monongahela River near its confluence with the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It carries Interstate 376 between the Fort Pitt Tunn ...
, crossing over the
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River ( , )—often referred to locally as the Mon ()—is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 river on the Allegheny Plateau in North Cen ...
. There are single-lane westbound exit and eastbound entrance ramps connecting Carson Street to the freeway between the tunnel's portal and the bridge. Once across the river, the route touches down in
Downtown Pittsburgh
Downtown Pittsburgh, colloquially referred to as the Golden Triangle, and officially the Central Business District, is the urban downtown center of Pittsburgh. It is located at the confluence of the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River whose ...
at
Point State Park
Point State Park (locally known as The Point) is a Pennsylvania state park on in Downtown Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, forming the Ohio River.
Built on land acqu ...
. An interchange at the Point connects I-376 to I-279 (Parkway North), which leads to the
Fort Duquesne Bridge
The Fort Duquesne Bridge is a steel bowstring arch bridge that spans the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was colloquially referred to as "The Bridge to Nowhere".
History
The bridge was constructed from 1958-1963 by PennDOT, and ...
, as well as Liberty Avenue.
Parkway East
I-376 continues east from the Point, still carrying the partially-unsigned US 22 and US 30, following the north shore of the
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River ( , )—often referred to locally as the Mon ()—is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 river on the Allegheny Plateau in North Cen ...
through the south side of the downtown area (the westbound area by Downtown from Grant Street to the Fort Pitt Bridge is locally known as the "Bathtub" because of a tendency of the underpass to flood in heavy rains).
The road then continues to the adjacent neighborhoods of
Uptown
Uptown may refer to:
Neighborhoods or regions in several cities
United States
* Uptown, entertainment district east of Downtown and Midtown Albuquerque, New Mexico
* Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina
* Uptown, area surrounding the University of C ...
and
Oakland
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
. The Parkway East eventually turns away from the river near the southwestern corner of
Schenley Park
Schenley Park () is a large municipal park located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, between the neighborhoods of Oakland, Greenfield, and Squirrel Hill. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. In 2011, th ...
and runs along that park's southern border before passing through the
Squirrel Hill Tunnel
The Squirrel Hill Tunnel is a tunnel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It serves as an eastern gateway to the city for I-376 and was completed in 1953 after 8 years of construction and at a cost of US$18 million. At the time of openin ...
under
Squirrel Hill
Squirrel Hill is a residential neighborhood in the East End of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The city officially divides it into two neighborhoods, Squirrel Hill North and Squirrel Hill South, but it is almost universally treated a ...
.
![Interstate 376 - Pennsylvania (8461457652)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Interstate_376_-_Pennsylvania_%288461457652%29.jpg)
Parkway East exits the city of Pittsburgh near the southeastern corner of
Frick Park
Frick Park is the largest municipal park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, covering . It is one of Pittsburgh's four historic large parks.
History
The park began when Henry Clay Frick, upon his death in 1919, bequeathed south of Clayto ...
, and US 30 leaves the freeway shortly thereafter at
PA 8 in the suburb of
Wilkinsburg
Wilkinsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The borough has a population of 15,930 as of the 2010 census. Wilkinsburg is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The borough was named for John Wilkins Jr., a United States Army ...
. I-376 and US 22 (now fully signed) continue in a generally easterly direction through
Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from 1 ...
,
Wilkins Township
Wilkins Township is a township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,357 at the 2010 census. It is served by Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, the 43rd District of the Pennsylvania State Senate, and the ...
,
Penn Hills
Penn Hills is a township with home rule status in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 41,059 as of the 2020 census. Penn Hills is the second-largest municipality in Allegheny County, after Pittsburgh.
History
In 178 ...
, and finally
Monroeville, where I-376 ends at an interchange with the Pennsylvania Turnpike and
US 22 Bus. US 22 continues east from this interchange on the
William Penn Highway
The William Penn Highway was an auto trail that ran from Pittsburgh in west to New York City in the east. It served as the Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway west of Reading and as its branch to New York City. The William Penn Highway Association o ...
toward
Murrysville.
Tolls
The James E. Ross Highway portion of I-376 between US 422 and PA 51 uses
all-electronic tolling
Open road tolling (ORT), also called all-electronic tolling, cashless tolling, or free-flow tolling, is the collection of tolls on toll roads without the use of toll booths. An electronic toll collection system is usually used instead. The ma ...
, with tolls payable by
toll by plate
Video tolling (sometimes referred to as video billing, toll by plate, pay by mail, or pay by plate) is a form of electronic toll collection, which uses video or still images of a vehicle's license plate to identify a vehicle liable to pay a road ...
(which uses
automatic license plate recognition
Automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR; see also #Other names, other names below) is a technology that uses optical character recognition on images to read vehicle registration plates to create vehicle location data. It can use existing close ...
to take a photo of the vehicle's license plate and mail a bill to the vehicle owner) or
E-ZPass
E-ZPass is an electronic toll collection system used on toll roads, toll bridges, and toll tunnels in the Eastern United States, Midwestern United States, and Southern United States. The E-ZPass Interagency Group (IAG) consists of member agencie ...
. The tolled section of I-376 has two mainline toll plazas: the West Mainline Toll Plaza near milepost 18 and the East Mainline Toll Plaza near milepost 30. , the West Mainline Toll Plaza costs $4.90 using toll by plate and $2.50 using E-ZPass for passenger vehicles while the East Mainline Toll Plaza costs $3.10 using toll by plate and $1.30 using E-ZPass for passenger vehicles. There are also ramp tolls at the eastbound exit and westbound entrance at exit 17, the westbound exit and eastbound entrance at exit 20, and the eastbound exit and westbound entrance at exit 29, which charge $3.10 using toll by plate and $1.30 using E-ZPass for passenger vehicles.
As part of Act 44, tolls are to be increased every year in January.
The tolled portion of I-376 is the most expensive portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike system per mile, charging toll-by-plate users an average of and E-ZPass users . This is in stark contrast to the mainline Turnpike, which charges less than for E-ZPass users and more than for cash users. This is due to the bonds on newer sections of the Turnpike system (such as the James E. Ross Highway,
Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass,
Mon–Fayette Expressway
The Mon–Fayette Expressway is a partially-completed tolled freeway that is planned to eventually link Interstate 68 near Morgantown, West Virginia with Interstate 376 near Monroeville, Pennsylvania. The ultimate goal of the highway is to pr ...
, and the
Southern Beltway) having not been paid for yet (in the case of the latter two, are only partially completed), whereas the mainline Turnpike and the
Northeastern Extension had their bonds paid for decades ago. Even with the newer sections factored in—most of which except for a portion of the Mon–Fayette Expressway from
I-70
Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a park and ride lot just east of I-695 in Baltimore, Maryland, and is the fifth-longest Interstate in the co ...
near
Bentleyville to
US 40 near
Brownsville opened ''after'' the James E. Ross Highway opened—it is the most expensive portion of the Turnpike system per mile.
Along with the
Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge
The Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge is a four-lane, steel through arch bridge crossing the Delaware River between Burlington Township, Burlington County, New Jersey and Bristol Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. As a part of Interstat ...
(which is affected by the ongoing
Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project
The Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project is an ongoing road construction project to build an interchange where Interstate 95 (I-95) crosses the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Bristol Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in the Uni ...
), the Beaver Valley Expressway became one of the first sections of the Pennsylvania Turnpike system to implement all-electronic tolling, which began along the Beaver Valley Expressway on April 30, 2017.
[ The Beaver Valley Expressway was selected as a test area so that the PTC could work out any bugs with mailing non-E-ZPass users bills with their unpaid tolls.]
History
The first section of what would eventually become I-376 opened June 5, 1953, from PA 885 (Bates Street) near the Hot Metal Bridge
The Hot Metal Bridge is a truss bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that crosses the Monongahela River. The bridge consists of two parallel spans on a single set of piers: the former Monongahela Connecting Railroad Bridge, built in 1887, on the u ...
east through the Squirrel Hill Tunnel
The Squirrel Hill Tunnel is a tunnel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It serves as an eastern gateway to the city for I-376 and was completed in 1953 after 8 years of construction and at a cost of US$18 million. At the time of openin ...
to US 22 Bus (then US 22) at Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from 1 ...
. Construction commenced on this stretch on July 25, 1946, near Wilkinsburg
Wilkinsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The borough has a population of 15,930 as of the 2010 census. Wilkinsburg is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The borough was named for John Wilkins Jr., a United States Army ...
. The next section to open, running from PA 60 (Steubenville Pike
Steubenville is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Ohio, United States. Located along the Ohio River 33 miles west of Pittsburgh, it had a population of 18,161 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The city's name is deri ...
, then US 22/ US 30) near PIT east to Saw Mill Run Boulevard ( PA 51 and US 19), opened October 15, 1953. At Steubenville Pike, it connected to PA 60—the Airport Parkway—which had been built c. 1950 as a high-speed surface road to provide access to the airport.
In 1955, the Baltimore and Ohio Station was demolished to make way for construction of the new freeway. In late 1956, it opened from the Boulevard of the Allies
The Boulevard of the Allies is a mostly four-lane road in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, connecting Downtown Pittsburgh with the Oakland neighborhood of the city. Because of its lengthy name, locals sometimes refer to it as simply "The Boulevard ...
(then US 22/US 30) near the Birmingham Bridge
The Birmingham Bridge (known during construction as the Brady Street Bridge) is a bowstring arch bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which crosses over the Monongahela River. The bridge connects East Carson Street on the ...
east to Bates Street, with the eastbound lanes opening September 10 and westbound opening September 29. The other downtown sections opened in segments from January 17, 1958, to 1959, the total cost of the parkway at this time came to $112.11 million (equivalent to $ in ). The $6.31-million (equivalent to $ in ) Fort Pitt Bridge
The Fort Pitt Bridge is a steel, double-decked tied arch bridge, bowstring arch bridge that spans the Monongahela River near its confluence with the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It carries Interstate 376 between the Fort Pitt Tunn ...
opened June 19, 1959, followed by the $16-million (equivalent to $ in ) Fort Pitt Tunnel
The Fort Pitt Tunnel is a vehicular tunnel under Mount Washington in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It connects the West End region on the southwest side to the South Shore neighborhood on the northeast side. The adjoining Fort Pitt Bridge on the n ...
on September 1, 1960, using the West End Bypass (PA 51) and Carson Street ( PA 837) as detours until the Fort Pitt Tunnel opened. The Parkway East ended in Churchill, with eastbound traffic continuing ahead on the William Penn Highway, until the $11.12-million (equivalent to $ in ) extension east to the Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike) is a toll highway operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A controlled-access highway, it runs for across the state. The turnpike's we ...
in Monroeville opened October 27, 1962. The final piece of Parkway West (the part which has never had an Interstate route number), from PA 60 west to the US 22/US 30 split at Imperial
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imperial, Nebraska
* Imperial, Pennsylvania
* Imperial, Texa ...
, opened in 1964. Early plans for that section would have instead taken it from PA 60 where it splits with PA 60 Bus. northwest to US 30 near Campmeeting Road at Clinton
Clinton is an English toponymic surname, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton.Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. ''A Dictionary of Surnames''. Oxford University Press, 1988 Clinton has frequently been used as a given ...
.
The next section that opened was in 1968 from the present-day exit 2 with PA 18 to where PA 18 intersects with the present-day PA 760 just north of I-80
Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...
and the western terminus of I-376.
Work began on the Beaver County sections of I-376 (in between Chippewa Township and the Airport Parkway) in 1971 and would finish by 1976. The following year, the northern section finished construction, which would leave a gap between New Castle and Chippewa Township for the next 15 years. Until the middle section was completed, in order to continue on the highway, travelers had to use US 422, PA 168, PA 18, PA 251, and PA 51 before returning to the highway. Until that section opened, the present-day exit 12A marked the southern terminus of the northern section of PA 60 as an "END 60" sign was located near the exit.
In the early to mid-1980s, the entire section from downtown to Monroeville was refurbished.
The next leg of the route opened to PA 108 in 1991 and to PA 51 in Chippewa on November 30, 1992, as the $260-million (equivalent to $ in ) "missing link" between two sections of PA 60, when that route's designation was on the highway. The aforementioned "END 60" sign was removed when the first leg of the middle section opened in 1991, and a "No re-entry this exit" sign has sat on the site since due to exit 12A being an indirect connection to US 422 westbound without a direct reentry ramp.
The Southern Expressway, a southern bypass of PIT, opened on September 9, 1992, and is the newest portion of I-376.
The PTC retrofitted E-ZPass
E-ZPass is an electronic toll collection system used on toll roads, toll bridges, and toll tunnels in the Eastern United States, Midwestern United States, and Southern United States. The E-ZPass Interagency Group (IAG) consists of member agencie ...
lanes on the tolled section of I-376 in 2006 at both the two mainline toll plazas as well as the exits that collect tolls.
A bridge crossing I-376 from Oakland to Greenfield, the Greenfield Bridge
The Greenfield Bridge, officially known as the Beechwood Boulevard (Greenfield) Bridge II, is a steel arch bridge located in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The bridge connects the neighborhoods of Greenfield (Pittsburgh), Gre ...
, gained some national notoriety on an episode of ''Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
''Last Week Tonight with John Oliver'' (often abridged as ''Last Week Tonight'') is an American late-night talk and news satire television program hosted by comedian John Oliver. The half-hour-long show premiered in April 2014 on HBO. ''Last Wee ...
'' concerning infrastructure
Infrastructure is the set of facilities and systems that serve a country, city, or other area, and encompasses the services and facilities necessary for its economy, households and firms to function. Infrastructure is composed of public and priv ...
. The state could not immediately afford to replace the crumbling bridge, so instead a cover was built under the bridge to protect the vehicles on I-376. The Greenfield Bridge was finally demolished in December 2015, and a replacement was built over the following two years, officially opening on October 14, 2017.
Route designations prior to 2009
From PA 60 to I-376's eastern terminus, I-376 has had the US 22 and US 30 designations for its entire history (US 30 exiting at Wilkinsburg). Until 1961, it also carried the PA 80 designation until that route was decommissioned due to Pennsylvania needing the designation for I-80
Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...
to the north. In 1956, PA 60 was commissioned to have the Airport Parkway and the former alignment of US 22 and US 30 to Pittsburgh's West End.
From 1959 to 1964, I-70 occupied the highway east of PA 50 in Carnegie. When I-70 moved to its current alignment (replacing I-70S) in 1964, the route received the I-76
Interstate 76 may refer to:
Interstate Highways in the United States
* Interstate 76 (Colorado–Nebraska)
* Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey), running through Pennsylvania
Video gaming
* ''Interstate '76
''Interstate '76'' is a vehicular c ...
designation into Pittsburgh. West of Pittsburgh, from 1963 to 1970, I-79
Interstate 79 (I-79) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from I-77 in Charleston, West Virginia, north to Pennsylvania Route 5 (PA 5) and PA 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a primary thoroughfare ...
occupied the route. In West Middlesex, the route would receive the PA 18 designation while the former alignment would receive a business route
A business route (or business loop, business spur, or city route) in the United States is a short special route connected to a ''parent'' numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or ...
designation as PA 18 Business, since it served as a bypass of West Middlesex.
In 1970, I-79 swapped positions with I-279
Interstate 279 (I-279), locally referred to as Parkway North, is a north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway that lies entirely within Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Its southern end is at I-376 at the Fort Pitt Bridge in Pittsburgh, an ...
, necessitating that I-76 be extended to I-79. With commencement on the Beaver Valley Expressway in 1971, PA 60 was extended to its future northern terminus in Chippewa. Finally, on October 2, 1972, after I-76 west of Monroeville moved to the Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike) is a toll highway operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A controlled-access highway, it runs for across the state. The turnpike's we ...
and replaced I-80S, the western part of the highway took the I-279 designation while the section from Pittsburgh east to Monroeville would become the first section with the I-376 designation.[ ] When I-376 was extended onto the Parkway West in 2009, I-279 was truncated to its current southern terminus at the former western terminus of I-376.
PA 18 Business was decommissioned in 1978 when PA 18 returned to its former alignment (where it has remained to this day) and PA 60 was extended all the way to Hermitage.
On November 30, 1992, the gap in Beaver County was completed with a toll highway.
When the Beaver Valley Expressway started opening in 1991, it would receive the "PA Toll 60" designation, because it was operated by the PTC. With the opening of the Southern Expressway in 1992, PA 60 moved to that highway, while the Airport Parkway received the PA 60 Bus designation. PA 60 was eventually extended to Sharon in 1997, ending at US 62 Bus.
2009 extensions
As part of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users in 2005, Congress had designated an expansion of I-376 past I-79 and along present day US 22/US 30 and PA 60 through Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, is a civil–military international airport in Findlay Township and Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Located about 10 miles (15 km) west of downtown Pittsbur ...
and north to I-80 near Sharon
Sharon ( he, שָׁרוֹן ''Šārôn'' "plain") is a given name as well as an Israeli surname.
In English-speaking areas, Sharon is now predominantly a feminine given name. However, historically it was also used as a masculine given name. In I ...
. This was done because the airport was one of the few major airports in the US without direct access to an Interstate Highway.
This routing required some major infrastructure work on US 22 west of Downtown Pittsburgh (particularly at the US 22/US 30 cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which all turns are handled by slip roads. To go left (in right-hand traffic; reverse directions in left-driving regions), vehicles first continue as one road passes over or under the ...
in Robinson Township) and safety improvements to PA 60; though both were controlled-access freeways before the extension, they were not up to Interstate Highway standards
Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in the publication ''A Policy on Design Standards: Interstate System''. For a certain highway to ...
in all areas. The improvements to both the US 22/US 30 cloverleaf in Robinson Township and the Lawrence County leg of the route, as well as replacing all of the signs with the I-376 shield, were funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (), nicknamed the Recovery Act, was a stimulus package enacted by the 111th U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama in February 2009. Developed in response to the Gr ...
.
The designation of I-279 from Downtown west through the Fort Pitt Tunnel to I-79 was officially dropped and replaced by that of I-376 on June 10, 2009. I-279 still exists between I-376 in the Golden Triangle and I-79 in Franklin Park. On November 6, 2009, officials announced the initial transition was complete.
On January 21, 2010, the remainder of the route except for the Beaver Valley Expressway started receiving the I-376 signs. The stretch of PA 60 from I-80 in Shenango Township of Mercer County north past PA 18 (where the freeway terminates and the highway reverts to being a two-lane arterial) to the former northern terminus of PA 60 in Sharon became PA 760.
On August 1, 2010, signage along PA Turnpike 60 was officially changed to I-376, and, unlike other tolled highways with an Interstate designation, it is not grandfathered
A grandfather clause, also known as grandfather policy, grandfathering, or grandfathered in, is a provision in which an old rule continues to apply to some existing situations while a new rule will apply to all future cases. Those exempt from t ...
from Interstate standards
Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) in the publication ''A Policy on Design Standards: Interstate System''. For a certain highway to ...
. Having been built in the early 1990s, this section was already up to Interstate standards. This section of I-376 is signed as "Toll I-376", with a black-on-yellow "Toll" sign above the I-376 trailblazer. This makes I-376 one of the first tolled Interstates with such a marker, which was a new addition to the 2009 edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
The ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways'' (usually referred to as the ''Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices'', abbreviated MUTCD) is a document issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) of the Unit ...
.
Despite PennDOT giving motorists over four years of advance notice on the I-376 extension, some local drivers were confused after the transition was complete, thinking that the I-376 extension was going to be an all-new highway instead of a renaming of PA 60.
As part of the ongoing upgrades to I-376 to bring the legacy portion of the former PA 60 up to Interstate standards, the interchange with PA 318 at exit 1C was upgraded to a full service interchange in October 2014. Previously, the exit only had a westbound entrance and eastbound exit, mainly to serve as access to I-80 to West Middlesex residents. It marked the third partial interchange on the legacy PA 60/Parkway West to be upgraded to a full-service interchange in a decade, after I-79 at exit 64A and access to US 30 at exit 52 were upgraded from partial to full-service interchanges.
Exit list
Business loop
Interstate 376 Business (I-376 Bus) or Business Loop 376 (BL 376), known locally as the Airport Parkway, is a Interstate Highway business loop in Moon Township
Moon Township is a township along the Ohio River in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Moon is a part of the Greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area and is located northwest of Pittsburgh. The population was 27,261 at the 2020 census.
History E ...
and Findlay Township in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. Its western terminus is at I-376 and Flaugherty Run Road (exits 50 and 51) north of PIT. Its eastern terminus is at I-376's exit 57, southeast of PIT.
Before November 6, 2009, and after the Southern Expressway was completed in 1992, this road was known as PA 60 Bus. Prior to that, it had the regular PA 60 designation; this was also originally the last leg of the Parkway West which ended at the intersection with then-Beers School Road (now University Boulevard) and began as the Beaver Valley Expressway past the intersection. Much of the road is up to freeway standards, but several signaled at-grade intersections remain, making this multilane divided road a true expressway
Expressway may refer to:
* Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic.
* Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road.
*Expressway, the fictional s ...
(unlike many of Pennsylvania's freeway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
s, which are often misleadingly named using the suffix expressway, since they are often called such in the northeast). I-376 Bus is one of only two business Interstate routes found in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the other being the business loop
A business route (or business loop, business spur, or city route) in the United States is a short special route connected to a ''parent'' numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or ...
of I-83
Interstate 83 (I-83) is an Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its southern terminus is at a signalized intersection with Fayette Street in Baltimore, Maryland; its northern terminus is at I-81 near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Most ...
in York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
.
See also
*
*
*Baltimore and Ohio Station (Pittsburgh)
B&O Railroad Depot was one of several railroad stations in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the late 19th and early 20th century. The station was built in 1887, 16 years after the B&O Railroad opened its first railroad line into Pittsb ...
Notes
References
External links
I-376 on Kurumi.com
Interstate Guide - I-376
I-376 at AARoads.com
Pennsylvania Roads - I-376
{{Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
376
__NOTOC__
Year 376 (Roman numerals, CCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valens and Augustus (or, less frequently, ...
76-3
76-3
Transportation in Pittsburgh
Lincoln Highway
U.S. Route 30
3
Tolled sections of Interstate Highways
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
Transportation in Mercer County, Pennsylvania
Transportation in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Transportation in Beaver County, Pennsylvania
Transportation in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
1972 establishments in Pennsylvania
Toll roads in Pennsylvania