HOV lanes on Parkway North to close Monday

The next phase of an $88 million project to improve the Parkway North will shut down the highway's High Occupancy Vehicle lanes starting Monday, PennDOT said.

PennDOT will close the HOV lanes in Pittsburgh and Ross and Ohio townships at 4 a.m. The closure will continue through March 11, when the HOV lanes will have a new configuration to accommodate traffic from the mainline highway.

Northbound traffic on the Parkway North — also known as Interstate 279 — will be shifted onto the HOV lanes near the McKnight Road/Evergreen Road exit, PennDOT said in a news release.

About 5,700 vehicles use the HOV lanes daily, PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said.

Drivers should expect increased travel times, especially during peak traffic hours, because of the HOV lane closures, Cowan said. He added that it typically takes drivers a week or two to adjust to new traffic configurations.

PennDOT advised motorists to prepare for longer travel times. Drivers familiar with the area may want to consider alternate routes during peak hours.

The larger, $88 million project is scheduled to be completed in summer 2019. It's the largest project being undertaken this year in PennDOT's District 11, which includes Allegheny, Beaver and Lawrence counties.

Contractors will patch concrete, repair 29 walls and do preservation work on 30 bridges and 49 overhead structures. Other work will include improvements to ramps and lighting and the installation of an anti-icing system on bridges at the McKnight Road interchange, PennDOT said.

Work starting later this year will result in shifting traffic patterns, long-term ramp closures and lane restrictions.

Theresa Clift is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 412-380-5669, tclift@tribweb.com or via Twitter @tclift.