Traffic patterns will change in two areas of Pittsburgh beginning Thursday.
In Point Breeze, the city will activate a new traffic light at the corner of Forbes and South Braddock avenues in Point Breeze that will bring changes in traffic flow with it. The traffic signal was installed last fall, but it will be activated on Thursday.
The changes that will come with the new light include reconfiguring the lanes on Forbes approaching the intersection. Instead of three lanes in the outbound direction and two inbound, the new configuration will have one lane inbound, three outbound (left turn, straight and right turn) plus a bike lane on the outbound side at the intersection and a special bus stop approaching the intersection.
The expanded bike lane will provide a street-level connection for bikers and reduce conflicts with pedestrians.
Traffic on South Braddock heading toward the Parkway East will be reduced to one lane at the intersection, with the right-turn lane eliminated for motorists and replaced by a safer bike-turning lane. Motorists wanting to turn right will have to wait their turn at the intersection.
Left-turn signals will be added from Forbes to South Braddock toward Homewood and from South Braddock toward the Parkway East to Forbes Avenue Extension.
Additionally, just past the intersection on South Braddock, two parking spaces will be eliminated alongside Frick Park to make it easier to turn from Forbes to South Braddock.
The city’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure said it doesn’t expect motorists turning left or right onto Forbes to have any delays.
In Larimer, the city will install speed tables at four locations on Meadow Street between Larimer and Lincoln avenues. The speed tables, long flat areas where the pavement is raised to reduce speed, are part of a traffic calming effort that will include new parking lines, high-visibility crosswalks and painted bars on the road to encourage motorists to stop before intersections.
The city said the improvements were recommended after a 2021 study found 69% of motorists going faster than the speed limit of 25 miles an hour with a maximum speed of 70 miles per hour. An average of 2,807 vehicles uses the street daily.
Crews are scheduled to work from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Flaggers will manage alternating traffic in the area.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.