Talk:U.S. Route 19 Truck (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

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[edit] I tried

I tried helping out with this article but it is too confusing especially at the southern terminus of the I-279 and US 19 TRUCK concurrency (southwest of the Fort Pitt Tunnel) where they're 5 routes joined together and both southbound and northbound of US 19 Truck run at the same lanes. -- JohnnyAlbert10 ^{Time to talk · My Help} 21:07, 20 February 2007 (UTC)

Then again i never give up, i'll try my best. --JohnnyAlbert10 ^{Time to talk · My Help} 21:31, 20 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Signage

Here's what I could find on Google Maps street view:

• Northbound, signs point left onto the I-279 south ramp, but there's nothing telling you to then go left onto the U-turn ramp, which is marked only as US 19 Truck south and PA 51 south. If you take that ramp you get a sign saying "US 19 Truck north use I-279 north". Also, the northbound exit to PA 65 is signed "to US 19", with no apparent indication that trucks should remain on I-279. But, if you ignore the signs pointing left on I-279, and follow regular US 19 over the West End Bridge, all is peachy - there are big honking US 19 Truck overhead signs pointing onto PA 65 south and then I-279 north.
• Southbound, a sign on the entrance to I-279 says "US 19 Truck south follow I-279 south". Then there is no mention until the exit for regular US 19 south, and if you take that the aforementioned U-turn ramp is marked for US 19 Truck south, where you then take the corresponding first exit from I-279 north. So southbound is great if you realize you should take the exit for regular US 19.

Which does bring up a question: why does US 19 Truck use I-279 through downtown? The West End Bridge appears to be a high-quality route for trucks, and avoids the looping around at the south I-279 junction. This was in fact US 19 Truck's route until I-279 was completed north of downtown. Another option, possibly even better, would be to use the Liberty Tunnels and I-579. --NE2 15:20, 27 February 2008 (UTC)

I couldn't say for certain why 19-TRK doesn't just stay on 51 up to the WE Bridge, then take 65-S to 279, but my guess is it's to avoid the West End Circle, which isn't nearly as simple as Google's directions make it sound. It's also, as of this winter, under construction for the next year or three. . .

I really have very little idea why it doesn't take the Liberty Tubes to 579, though I suspect it has to do with the traffic lights right at the north exit of the tunnel. (Does anyone know the relative height limits in the Liberty and Ft Pitt tubes, and the weight limits, if any, on the Liberty, Ft Pitt, Veterans and Ft Duquesne bridges? Those might also be relevant...) ----Isaac (talk) 15:29, 5 March 2008 (UTC)