Roads

Roads and highways in Allegheny County are owned and maintained by a variety of entities including the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Allegheny County, local municipalities, Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT), and private owners. To find out who maintains a specific road or highway, view the Who Owns My Road map.

In an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately. For non-emergencies, call 412-350-INFO (4636) on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. You also can report issues online by visiting the Allegheny County Support Center.

Call 9-1-1 or the appropriate utility company immediately.

Contact the local municipality. With a few exceptions — notably on county-owned bridges — Allegheny County does not maintain sidewalks. Maintenance of those is the responsibility of the local municipality. Municipalities often pass on that responsibility to the adjacent property owner via an ordinance.

Contact the local municipality. Public Works rarely constructs new sidewalks along county-maintained roads. Typically, a municipality will request permission from the county via a permit application to install a new sidewalk within county right-of-way. If approved, the municipality is responsible for constructing it.

Reducing speeding requires a team effort between Public Works and local police departments. Public Works can help by installing new road signs, pavement markings, and traffic-calming devices, such as speed humps. The local police, meanwhile, are responsible for enforcing traffic laws, including speeding.

To contact Public Works about a speeding issue, call 412-350-INFO (4636) on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. You also can make a request online by visiting the Allegheny County Support Center.

Please note that Public Works traffic engineers must follow federal and state guidelines when deciding how to reduce speeding, and many roads do not meet the necessary criteria for new traffic-calming devices. Those criteria include road type, width, traffic volume, speed limit, and crash history. For example, the department can’t install speed humps on arterial, high-traffic, or four-lane roads or roads with a speed limit above 30 mph.

Additionally, installing new stop signs is not an option to slow traffic. Stop signs are intended to designate right-of-way for drivers at intersections. Public Works can only install them if specific criteria are met. If the department installs a stop sign where it isn’t warranted, drivers will likely ignore it, creating a serious safety issue.

Contact the local municipality. It would be responsible for conducting a professional traffic study to determine if a speed limit change is warranted. If one is warranted, the local municipality would need to enact an ordinance making the new speed limit enforceable. Public Works would then replace the existing speed limit signs along the road.

Contact the local municipality. It would be responsible for conducting a professional traffic study to determine if an engine brake restriction is warranted and then submitting the study results to PennDOT. If PennDOT approves the restriction, the local municipality would then need to enact an ordinance making the restriction enforceable and would be responsible for purchasing, installing, and maintaining any related signage.

Public Works generally does not implement vehicle weight limits unless a county-owned road travels over a poor-rated bridge or culvert. In most cases, the pavement on county-owned roads is thick enough to handle all legal vehicle loads.

To request a vehicle length limit, call 412-350-INFO (4636) on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. You also can make your request online by visiting the Allegheny County Support Center.

Contact the local municipality or school district. Either of those entities would need to send a request to PennDOT to have the agency conduct a professional traffic study. If PennDOT approves a school zone following a study, the local municipality must pass an ordinance in compliance with the permit issued by PennDOT to make the new school zone enforceable. Once that is done, either the local municipality or school district must apply for a permit from Public Works prior to installing school zone-related signs along the county-owned road. The permittee would be responsible for purchasing, installing, and maintaining those signs.

Call 412-350-INFO (4636) on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. You also can report your request online by visiting the Allegheny County Support Center. Please note that requests for new signs with a flashing beacon or warning light, radar speed signs, and accessible parking signs should be made to the local municipality, regardless of the road's owner.

If a stop sign is missing or has been knocked down, please call 9-1-1 immediately. For all other sign-related issues, call 412-350-INFO (4636) on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. You also can report issues online by visiting the Allegheny County Support Center.

Contact the local municipality. The installation and maintenance of accessible parking signs is the responsibility of municipalities.

Contact the local school district. School districts are responsible for determining the location of school bus stops as well as installing and maintaining any associated signs.

Contact the local municipality unless the street light is located on a bridge or ramp. In most cases, municipalities are responsible for maintenance of street lights, even along roads owned by the state and county.

For street light issues on a county-owned bridge or ramp, call 412-350-INFO (4636) on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. You also can report issues online by visiting the Allegheny County Support Center.

Contact the local municipality. Maintenance of traffic lights is almost always the responsibility of the local municipality.

The installation of new mirrors along roads is now prohibited in Pennsylvania. Existing mirrors may remain in place until they need to be replaced, at which point, they must be removed.

Visit the Projects and Closures page, which includes links to project overviews, start and estimated end dates, location and detour maps, plans, photos, and progress updates.

• Sign up to be emailed Public Works press releases by choosing either "All Allegheny County Releases" or "Public Works / Transportation Releases"
  
  
• Sign up to receive project notifications via phone call, text, or email using Allegheny Alerts by choosing "Public Works"
  
  
• Follow Allegheny County on Facebook, Instagram, and X (former Twitter), and watch for notifications on Nextdoor

Work at construction sites must occur in a specific order to be done properly, and construction workers are often specialized. They might be steel and iron workers, painters, carpenters, electricians, heavy equipment operators, etc. Because of that, the workers on-site often can’t do their work simultaneously. It’s similar to a football player specializing in kicking who can’t be brought onto the field until his team scores a touchdown.

Also, there are on-site inspectors and project managers whose job is to watch the work taking place, ensuring that workers remain safe, follow construction plans as designed, perform high-quality work, remain on schedule, and avoid unexpected costs.

There are numerous reasons that might occur, including:

• Construction contractors have the ability – with limits – to set their work schedules. For example, a contractor might decide to work four 10-hour shifts Monday through Thursday and not work on Friday. They might also choose to place all of their crews at another work site for a few days where a need is more immediately pressing. Contractors always have until a specific date the county sets to complete their work. Unless there are unforeseen circumstances, Public Works will penalize contractors financially if a project isn’t completed by that date.
  
  
• Weather that is too hot, cold, or wet for the remaining work to occur. For example, new concrete and asphalt cannot be poured and placed in certain conditions. If it is, the end product will be poor and deteriorate quickly.
  
  
• Heavy equipment issues. Contractors try to continue working when equipment breaks down. Sometimes, though, that is not possible because that specific equipment is needed to complete the next step on the construction plans.

• Specific work is completed earlier than expected. Construction projects are a team effort, often involving a primary contractor and multiple specialized subcontractors. If one contractor completes their work early, another contractor might not have the crews available to get on-site earlier than expected. If that occurs at the end of the project – often when only line painting or guide rail installation remains – a road or bridge might remain closed while no work is occurring.

Sometimes, Public Works contractors do work overnight, especially when needed at a critical, high-traffic location. However, in most cases, the department prevents its contractors from performing work overnight for several reasons:

• The noise and lights associated with construction work can be disruptive to residents trying to get sleep. In fact, municipalities often have a noise ordinance that can restrict overnight construction work.
  
  
• Overnight work is more dangerous for workers.
  
  
• Overnight work is significantly more expensive than work done during regular business hours. Public Works generally believes those extra costs are not an effective use of taxpayer money. Available funding is better used getting more projects completed instead of much fewer projects done faster.

Wash your vehicle at a pressure car wash as soon as possible. If the wash doesn’t remove the paint, spray the paint residue with WD-40. Allow the WD-40 to stay on the area for one to two hours and then rewash the vehicle. For heavy accumulations or paint that has dried for several days, apply a liberal coating of petroleum jelly to the dried paint, allow it to stay on overnight, and rewash the vehicle. Don’t scrub the finish with a solvent or scouring cleanser.

Submit a claim to the county by calling 412-350-3754. Please note that you might be referred to a county construction contractor to submit a claim. The county is generally not liable for vehicle or mailbox damage caused by plowing or salt placement during winter storms.

In most cases, property owners are responsible for stream and creek maintenance on their properties. For more information, view the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Stream Maintenance Booklet.

For stream and creek maintenance assistance, contact the DEP Southwest Regional Office at 412-442-4000. For general flood-related assistance, contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency at 1-800-621-3362. The agency also offers post-flooding information and resources.

Public Works does not maintain or repair pipes under private driveways or under the entrance to private driveways, even if the driveway intersects with a county-owned road. The property owner is responsible for clearing and repairing the driveway pipe, and that work might require permits from Allegheny County and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

Download Southwestern Pennsylvania’s Homeowner’s Guide to Stormwater(PDF, 1MB). The guide will help you better understand what stormwater is, why stormwater runoff can be a problem, and what you can do about it.

A Highway Occupancy Permit (HOP) is required before:

• Doing construction work within, under, or over county right-of-way. Right-of-way is an area of land designated for use as a road or bridge, including the travel portion, shoulders, curbs, berms, gutters, and any other area needed for drainage structures, guide rail, or road signs. Examples of typical work within county right-of-way include utility line installations and repairs, driveway and sidewalk installations and repairs, road sign installations and repairs, new storm sewer connections, and new road connections.
  
  
• Hosting a special event or film shoot that will require a traffic restriction on a county-owned road or bridge. Special events include parades and other community events, runs, walks, athletic competitions, block parties, exhibits, and performances. First Amendment activities, such as public assemblies and marches, political and religious speeches, printed material distribution, and signature collection, do not require a Public Works permit.

For more information about a Highway Occupancy Permit for construction work, email hop@alleghenycounty.us or call 412-350-5874.

For more information about a Highway Occupancy Permit for a special event or film shoot, email specialeventspermit@alleghenycounty.us or call 412-350-2451.

An Overload/Oversize Permit is required before driving a vehicle that is more than 8 feet, 6 inches wide; 13 feet, 6 inches high; 75 feet long; or 80,000 pounds on a county-maintained road or bridge. For more information, email oversizepermits@alleghenycounty.us or call 412-350-2517.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Allegheny County, local municipalities, and private owners are responsible for snow and ice removal depending on the road or highway. To find out who is responsible for removal of snow and ice from a specific road or highway, view the Who Plows My Road map.

Please note that the entity responsible for the general maintenance of a road or bridge might differ from the one responsible for plowing and salting it. That’s because entities often enter into winter operations agreements to improve efficiency. For example, if a municipality plows and salts all the roads around a county-owned road, it doesn’t make much sense for a county salt truck driver to travel the extra distance to clear that one road of snow and ice. Instead, the county will pay the municipality to do it. As a result, the county-owned road is cleared more frequently, and the county can focus its time and effort on other roads.

Throughout the winter season, Public Works monitors weather forecasts and makes plans days in advance of upcoming storms. Crews preload salt onto trucks and install plows if 2 or more inches of snow are predicted.

Public Works uses more than 50 trucks, an average of 18,000 tons of salt, and 3,500 gallons of liquid calcium chloride annually. During a storm, county drivers follow routes designed for efficiency. If needed, Public Works keeps drivers over the end of their shifts and brings in additional drivers to provide around-the-clock coverage until precipitation stops falling and county-owned roads are clear.

Depending on traffic, Public Works salt truck drivers take about one to two hours to complete their routes. They then take about an hour to return to the nearest maintenance garage, reload with salt, and restart their routes. So, if snow falls quickly, there will likely be accumulation on the roads.

Clean the snow and ice from your windows and mirrors before traveling. Make sure all of your lights are working, and always use your headlights during a storm. Check your tire pressure, tire thread, fluid levels, lights, defrosters, and wiper blades. You also should consider keeping an emergency kit in their vehicle that includes non-perishable food, water, medication, first-aid supplies, warm clothes, blankets, a cell phone charger, and snow shovel.

Drivers are encouraged to slow down, leave extra space between their vehicle and the one in front of them, and give county salt truck drivers plenty of room to navigate.

The normal safe following distance between two vehicles (the two-second rule) should be doubled during winter storms. When behind a salt truck, following too closely increases your chances of loose material flying up and damaging your vehicle. Also, for safety reasons, do not attempt to pass a salt truck.

Landslides are the movement of soil, rock, or debris down a hill. Water, erosion, or human activity are the primary causes of landslides, which are common in this region because of our hilly terrain and variable weather. Unfortunately, landslides can close roads, bring down utility poles and wires, and damage homes and properties.To learn more about landslide causes, types, and effects, visit the Allegheny County Landslide Portal.

Public Works is constantly inspecting county-owned roads for signs of trouble. That includes watching for leaning guide rail or utility poles, pavement cracking or sinking, exposed tree roots, and retaining wall deterioration.The department then takes preventative steps, including diverting water from problematic hillsides using trenches, curbs, or sandbags. It installs drainage ditches or piping to allow trapped water to drain from heavy, wet soil. Crews also continually clean and repair the county’s more than 10,000 inlets, catch basins, and outfalls.

Public Works first focuses on keeping the road open or reopening it as quickly as possible. It does that by cleaning up the fallen soil, rock, and debris and ensuring that the nearby hillside won’t keep falling. Sometimes, to ensure driver safety, the department will keep a road closed until the nearby hillside can be stabilized. That work might include installing a rock embankment, placing rock-filled (gabion) baskets, or constructing a retaining wall.

Many landslides that affect county-owned roads originate from private property. In those instances, the property owner is responsible for stabilizing the problematic slope, which can be costly. When that occurs, the county works with property owners to develop amicable solutions that protect taxpayer money while ensuring safety on the county-owned road.

Due to the frequency of landslides and retaining wall issues in the county, deciding which problematic locations to stabilize first can be difficult. Public Works primarily considers the issue's impact on traffic, emergency services, schools, homes, and businesses.

Public Works staff continually inspect county roads to rate their condition and determine when work is needed. The department also annually receives hundreds of service requests from the public, which further helps it identify problem areas.

County right-of-way is an area of land designated for use as a road or bridge, including the travel portion, shoulders, curbs, berms, gutters, and any other area needed for drainage structures, guide rail, or road signs.

To find out the county right-of-way measurements for a specific location, call 412-350-INFO (4636) on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. You make a request online by visiting the Allegheny County Support Center.

Visit the Adopt-a-Roadway page and click on “Apply for Roadway Adoption.”