Archive for September 17th, 2024
Gradum proximum
Tuesday
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As often stated, I’m fascinated by the parabolas and massing shapes of high speed roads, and the shaping of the overpasses and bridges which carry them. That’s a toll road pictured above, a relatively recent addition to the local milieu in Greater Pittsburgh referred to as the ‘Southern Beltway.’
AKA Pa. Route 576, this is a brand spanking new bit of infrastructure that opened for business in October of 2021.
The totality of this beltway project is staggering in terms of scale and just how long the Pennsylvania State Government has been both planning and slowly building it. The goal of the project is to eliminate a regional choke point in the current setup of high speed/volume roads which interchange in or close to downtown Pittsburgh where traffic density is highest.
To say that it’s a controversial project would vastly understate the ennui which modern day city planners and self described ‘urbanists’ feel towards the process of ‘jamming another highway through already densely populated areas.’
They will then mention Robert Moses disparagingly.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This Southern Beltway is meant to join up with other segments, eventually, and form a ring around Pittsburgh, creating high speed conduits to its satellite cities like PA.’s Uniontown, and connect to interstates leading to several nearby areas in Ohio and West Virginia. I’m told they use electronic tolling up there, but personally I avoid toll roads like the plague, unless there’s absolutely no other choice.
Don’t feel smug or provincial, New Yorkers. Every shred of traffic entering the five boroughs, or Long Island’s two counties, is dependent on the Verrazzano, George Washington, and Triboro bridges. Upper Manhattan, South Brooklyn, and Western Queens are your personal ‘choke points.’ Keep fighting about ‘affordable housing’ and bike lanes though, and ignore this basic delimiter as traffic gets worse and worse in NYC. Blame Uber and Lyft, as it’s politically simpler than building a tunnel connection to I-95 under Long Island Sound, and far cheaper than creating a barge to rail port at JFK airport in Jamaica Bay. There will never be a natural or manmade disaster you will need to get away from.
Keep saying it’s all Robert Moses’ fault.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One last shot of the McDonald Trestle from my way back to the car.
It was time to start preparing for a medical procedure which I’d need to endure that was just 48 hours away. Luckily, I got to eat some of the apples and corn I bought at a newly discovered farm stand before this kafkaesque nightmare began, and I had to start a ‘water fast.’
Sucked.
Back tomorrow with something different.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Buy a book!
“In the Shadows at Newtown Creek,” an 88 page softcover 8.5×11 magazine format photo book by Mitch Waxman, is now on sale at blurb.com for $30.
The Newtown Pentacle 