'It's Going To Be Total Chaos': Ramp From Rt. 28 To Highland Park Bridge Closing Tomorrow For 3 Months
PITTSBURGH/SHARPSBURG (KDKA) -- Main Street in Sharpsburg Borough will be getting much busier Monday because it's the posted detour for a ramp closure on Route 28.
At 3 a.m. Monday, the northbound Route 28 off-ramp to the Highland Park Bridge will be closing for about 3 months.
Watch Bryant Reed's report:
Some employees at businesses along Main Street said the street won't be able to handle a lot of traffic but they are hoping it will bring in more customers.
"It's definitely going to cause some problems," said Shaina Satterfield, employee at Big Shot Bob's House of Wings.
"I think it's going to be total chaos," said Karen Iezzi, owner of Krazy Karen's Cafe and Galleria.
The ramp from northbound Route 28 to the Highland Park Bridge close for 83 days so PennDOT crews can make repairs.
Main Street in Sharpsburg is the posted detour that drivers can follow. Motorists will exit Route 28 at RD Fleming Bridge/Sharpsburg, to get to Main Street then onto Highland Park Bridge. The alternate detour takes you off the Fox Chapel Road exit.
"With Main Street, people's mirrors already get smashed off so I feel like with traffic it will be bad," said Hunter Johnston, an employee at D and E Collectibles.
The traffic increase in the borough might cause some headaches, but it could drive up sales for businesses.
Restaurants like Big Shot Bob's and Krazy Karen's are hoping drivers will be hungry and thirsty.
"It might get a little chaotic, it's normally not that busy on this street but it'll help the businesses that are on this street, and it'll help us," said Satterfield.
"Well, I hope when people are stuck in traffic, they'll stop in and get a cold one," said Iezzi.
D and E collectibles employees are eager to see if motorists will discover the collectible items they have to offer in their store.
"It's either going to be good or bad, we might get discovered by people who don't normally come down here because there's some people, we've been here 8 years, and they never even heard of us so it could be a good thing," said Johnston.
Crews will be working on concrete and steel repairs, drainage improvements, and painting, along with a few other things. PennDOT said the repairs being made will help with traffic flow and other safety issues. The closure is weather permitting.
The following detour routes have been provided by PennDOT:
Posted Detour
• From northbound Route 28, take the RD Fleming Bridge/Sharpsburg (Exit 5A) off-ramp
• Continue straight at the stop sign
• Bear right onto North Main Street (Route 1001)
• North Main Street becomes Main Street
• Main Street becomes Freeport Road
• Take the ramp to the Highland Park Bridge
• End detour
Alternate Detour
• From northbound Route 28, continue past the closed ramp
• Take the Fox Chapel Road/Waterworks Drive/Freeport Road (Exit 8) off-ramp
• Bear left toward Fox Chapel Road
• At the stop sign, turn left onto Fox Chapel Road
• Turn left onto the ramp to southbound Route 28
• From southbound Route 28 take the left-hand off-ramp to South 8/Highland Park Bridge/Aspinwall (Exit 6)
• End detour
