FInally! A Bridge To East Liberty

Sketch of Pedestrian Bridge

Construction of a pedestrian bridge linking Shadyside to the Eastside shopping complex in East Liberty will begin on Monday. The 100-foot-long bridge will stretch from Ellsworth Avenue at Spahr Street to the southwest corner of the Eastside parking garage, hopping over the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway and railroad tracks parallel to it.

Plans for the bridge go back at least seven years. Planners and developers had to work through myriad issues involving financing, right of way, property acquisition and design.  Starting Monday and continuing through November, Ellsworth Avenue will be closed from Spahr Street to Lamont Place. These streets will be open only to local and business traffic: Ellsworth from Maryland Avenue to Spahr and from Shady Avenue to Lamont, and Spahr from Alder Street to Ellsworth.  Northbound traffic on Spahr will be required to turn left at Ellsworth. Access to all businesses in the construction area will be maintained at all times.

The project features an innovative design by Pittsburgh native Sheila Klein that includes a curving fence bedecked with glass sequins, an undulating pathway bordered with landscaping and railings that were salvaged from the 31st Street Bridge when it was rehabilitated.

The glass is being made at Pittsburgh Glass Center in Friendship and restoration of the railings was by Keystone Metals in Larimer.
Completion of the $1.55 million project is scheduled for late December.

East Liberty
Metro Pittsburgh Real Estate
Shadyside

Kennywood Gets A Little Make-Over

Phantom's Revenge

Kennywood is getting a little spruce-up for the opening of this season.   Opening day at the West Mifflin amusement park gets under way at 10:30 a.m. May 7. Closing will be about 10 p.m., based on crowds and weather.  Spruce-ups and other changes are ....

-  The old black top leading to what was formerly the (circa 1901) Old Mill, now the dark ride called Garfield's Nightmare, was replaced with red and tan bricks of various sizes and shapes for a striking design effect. 
-  The classic arcade Kandy Kaleidoscope was repainted mostly green with tan accents and has a new red roof.
 -  Starting on Memorial Day, Potato Patch fries -- a perennial park favorite -- will be available at a second location: the Star refreshment stand between the Log Jammer entrance and Arrow360.
-  Kiddieland's Mother Goose facility, which housed restrooms, was replaced with a new building with handicap-accessible family restrooms with changing stations.  The front of the building features a refreshment stand, which is the first in recent years in Kiddieland. Snacks offered will include healthy options such as juice and fruit.

-  The Parkside Cafe has larger handicap-accessible restrooms, air conditioning has been added and the roof is being repainted.  The cafe will retain its original tin ceiling and wooden beams from 1898 -- the year Kennywood was founded as a small trolley park by the Monongahela Street Railway Company, which was controlled by industrial baron Andrew Mellon.

Kennywood is one of only two amusement parks designated as a National Historic Landmark.  This season will cost a little more; there is an across-the-board admission increase of one dollar from 2010. 

Kennywood

Metro Pittsburgh Real Estate