It’s not usual to see traffic backed up near the intersection of Washington Road and Route 50. Rush hour on that stretch of road can be positively maddening.
South Fayette Township officials hope that sophisticated new traffic signals can ease the congestion. The township recently applied for $380,000 in PennDOT grant money to install eight “smart” traffic lights, according to the Observer-Reporter.
Seven of the eight signals are in South Fayette, with the last light on the border of Bridgeville at the intersection of Chartiers Street and Washington Pike by Rite Aid. The signals would use various cameras, sensors and radar to gauge where green and red lights are needed most to keep traffic from becoming congested.
“With the Southern Beltway opening in 2019, volumes (on Route 50) can be expected to increase,” read the letter [from South Fayette officials] to PennDOT. It also detailed support from Upper St. Clair Township and Bridgeville Borough, citing shared concerns over traffic congestion at the three-legged intersection of Millers Run Road with I-79.