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Interstate 279

Interstate 279

Interstate 279 is a north-south interstate highway spur that lies entirely within Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It terminates at both ends at Interstate 79, the north end being in Wexford, Pennsylvania and the south end in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves at the main access route between Pittsburgh and its northern and western suburbs. I-279 defies typical AASHTO rules in that I-79 and I-279 are "backwards"; i.e. I-79 should head directly through Pittsburgh while I-279 bypasses it to the west (as I-79 does). The highway is locally referred to as "Parkway North" or "Parkway West" (since the southern seven miles are more west-east than north-south) depending on one's relative position to downtown Pittsburgh. At the southern terminus of 279, the highway continues as U.S. Highway 22 and U.S. Highway 30, which eventually lead to Pittsburgh International Airport. I-279 intersects Interstate 376 in downtown Pittsburgh. Interstate 579 also intersects I-279, but is only accessible by southbound traffic; likewise, traffic from I-579 can only head northbound on I-279. The best-known landmark on 279 is the Fort Pitt Tunnel and Bridge due to its "surprising" view of the Pittsburgh skyline. 279 also crosses the Fort Duquesne Bridge over the Allegheny River, providing easy access to Heinz Field. The Parkway North features two reversible HOV lanes. A related tragedy occurred in 1995 when a negligent highway worker failed to close the outbound gates, leading to a headon collision that killed six.

External links

http://www.pahighways.com/interstates/I279.html 79-2 79-2

Interstate Highway

The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System, is a network of highways in the United States. The Interstate Highway System is a separate system within the larger National Highway System. With very few exceptions, Interstate highways are controlled-access freeways, allowing for safe high-speed driving when traffic permits. They are assigned a special level of funding at the federal level. Despite this federal funding, these highways are owned, designed, built and maintained by the state in which they are located, with the only exception being the federally-owned Woodrow Wilson Bridge on the Capital Beltway (I-95/I-495). The highways in the system are typically known as Interstate XX or I-XX; sometimes Interstate Highway XX (IH XX) or Interstate Route XX (IR XX) is used. In some areas the more generic Route XX or Highway XX is used. The system serves all major U.S. cities, and unlike its counterparts in most industrialized countries, often goes right through downtown areas rather than bypassing them. This facilitated the emergence of automobile-oriented postwar suburban development patterns, often pejoratively referred to as "urban sprawl". The system is prominent in the daily lives of most Americans. Virtually all goods and services are delivered via the Interstate Highways at some point. Many residents of American cities use the urban segments of the system to go to and from their jobs. Most long-distance journeys (for vacation or business) of less than 300 miles (500 km) use the interstate highway system at some point. Hawaii has several signed Interstates, but Alaska and Puerto Rico do not. The latter two do have roads designated as Interstates for funding purposes, but they are not currently or planned to be built to Interstate standards. The public controlled-access highways of Puerto Rico are the Autopistas (PR-22, PR-52, and PR-53).

History

Autopistas The interstate system was authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, popularly known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act of 1956. It was lobbied for by major U.S. automobile manufacturers and championed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, and was influenced by both his experiences as a young soldier crossing the country in 1919 following the route of the Lincoln Highway, and by his appreciation of the German autobahn network. Planning for a system of new superhighways began in the late 1930s, even before federal commitment to build the Interstate highway system came in the 1950s. Construction on the world's first public limited-access highway, the Bronx River Parkway, had begun in New York as early as 1907. By the 1920s, longer highways such as the New York City parkway system had been built as part of local or state highway systems. As automotive traffic increased, planners saw a need for such an interconnected national system to supplement the existing, largely non-freeway, U.S. Highway system.The General location of national system of interstate highways, including all additional routes at urban areas designated in September, 1955 maps what became the interstate system, and is informally known as the Yellow Book. Although construction on the Interstate Highway system continues, it was officially regarded as complete in 1991 (though 1.5 miles of the original planned system remain unconstructed as of 2005 [http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/interstate.html]). The initial cost estimate for the system was $25 billion over twelve years; it ended up costing $114 billion, taking 35 years to complete. As of 2004, the system contains over 42,700 miles (68,500 km) of roads, all at least four lanes wide.

Standards

:Main article: Interstate Highway standards The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has defined a set of standards that all new Interstates must meet unless a waiver from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is obtained. These standards have become stricter over the years. One almost absolute standard is the controlled access nature of the roads. Except for a few exceptions, traffic lights (and cross traffic in general) are limited to toll booths and ramp meters (metered flow control for lane merging during rush hours).

Speed limits

Speed limits vary according to location. By initial planning, the Interstate system was designed to provide reasonable road safety at speeds of 75 to 80 miles per hour (120 to 130 km/h) except in limited stretches (such as steep mountain passes or urban cores) where many vehicles cannot maintain such speeds. Many western states had high speed limits. Kansas, for example, had a posted limit of 80 mph (130 km/h)[http://people.smu.edu/acambre/blog/PermaLink,guid,5575625c-bbd4-47a3-be9f-9d5517d3a06f.aspx]. Some states, such as Oregon, defined the limit as whatever was "reasonable and proper", which would not be allowed today (see Montana reference below). In 1974, the federal government enacted 55 mph (90 km/h) as a gasoline conservation measure in response to the 1973 energy crisis. After the end of the embargo this restriction was continued as a safety measure. It was very unpopular, especially in western states. The 55 mph cap was relaxed in 1987 to allow 65 mph (105 km/h) speeds on rural Interstates if the states so chose. During this interim period, some roads (such as I-335 in Kansas) were specifically designated as Interstates to take advantage of this higher speed limit. Shortly thereafter, 65 mph limits were allowed on roads not numbered as interstates but which were built to interstate standards. The 55/65 mph caps were eliminated in late 1995, fully returning speed limit control to the states. Many states maintain several different limits. For example, in California, most interstates are limited to 55 mph within a major city, 65 mph (105 km/h) for most of the suburban highway stretches, and up to 70 mph (115 km/h) throughout the desert and rural stretches of the state. In some states, commercial trucks have a lower speed limit than passenger automobiles. In some mountainous regions, the condition of the roadway mandates a lower speed limit than would otherwise have applied. While some states have maintained the 65 mph limit, other states have increased the limits to 70 or 75 mph (110 or 120 km/h). Generally, the highest speed limits are found in the South and Southwest, while the lowest are found in the Northeast. Soon after the end of the National Maximum Speed Limit, the state of Montana ended daytime speed limits for automobile traffic on Interstate Highways in the state, instead instructing motorists to maintain a "reasonable and prudent" speed. A few years later, the "reasonable and prudent" law was declared unconstitutional for being too vague and a limit of 75 mph (120 km/h) was enacted in its place. Texas recently enacted a law allowing 80 MPH speed limits on certain portions of Interstates 10 and 20 in far west Texas. However, these limits are on hold pending further study by the Texas Department of Transportation.

Dual-purpose design

In addition to being designed to support automobile and heavy truck traffic, interstate highways are also designed for use in military and civil defense operations within the United States, particularly troop movements. One potential civil defense use of the Interstate Highway System is for the emergency evacuation of cities in the event of a potential nuclear war. Although this use has never happened, the Interstate Highway System has been used to facilitate evacuations in the face of hurricanes and other natural disasters. An option for maximizing throughput is to reverse the flow of traffic on one side so that all lanes become outbound lanes. This procedure is known as Contraflow, and could be seen in the evacuations of New Orleans, Louisiana and Houston, Texas prior to hurricanes Katrina and Rita, respectively. Several Interstates in the South, including I-16 in Georgia, I-40 in North Carolina, I-65 in Alabama, I-10 & I-59 in Louisiana, and I-59 in Mississippi, are equipped and signed specifically for contraflow, with crossovers inland after major interchanges to distribute much of the traffic. This is however not limited to Interstates; US 49 from Gulfport to Jackson and State Road 528, in Central Florida, have the same setup. A widespread but false urban legend states that one out of every five miles of the Interstate highway system must be built straight and flat, so as to be usable by aircraft during times of war.[http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/mayjun00/onemileinfive.htm] However, the Germans in World War II used the Autobahns for just such a purpose.

Terminology

While the name implies that these highways cross state lines, many Interstates do not. Rather, it is the system of interstates that connects states. There are interstate highways in Hawaii, funded in the same way as in the other states, but entirely within the populous island of Oahu. They have the designation of H-X, and connect military bases. Similarly, both Alaska and Puerto Rico have public roads that receive funding from the Interstate program, though these routes are not signed as Interstate Highways.

Primary routes

The numbering scheme for the Interstate Highway System (as well as the U.S. Highway System) is coordinated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), though their authority is occasionally trumped by a number written into Federal law. Within the continental United States, primary Interstates (also called main line Interstates or two-digit Interstates) are given one- or two-digit route numbers. Most Interstates have two numbers; there are only three one-digit Interstates in the system: I-4, I-5 and I-8. Within this category, east-west highways are assigned even numbers, and north-south highways are assigned odd-numbers. Odd route numbers increase from west to east, and even numbered routes increase from south to north. Numbers divisible by 5 are intended to be primary routes, carrying traffic long distances. For example, I-5 runs from Canada to Mexico along the west coast (the only interstate to do so) while I-95 runs from Miami north to Canada. In addition, I-10 runs from Los Angeles, California to Jacksonville, Florida while I-90 runs from Seattle to Boston. However, not all primary routes traverse long distances. I-45 runs from Galveston, Texas north to Dallas, Texas, a distance of only 284 miles. It is the only primary route that does not cross state lines (see List of intrastate Interstate Highways). It should be noted that I-50 and I-60 do not exist (and there are no even-numbered Interstates between 46 and 62), mainly because they would most likely have passed through the same states that already have US 50 and US 60. AASHTO rules discourage Interstate and US Highways with the same number to exist in the same state, although I-24 and US 24 exist at opposite ends of Illinois. Some planned Interstates do not follow this guideline - I-69 will enter Texas (which has US 69), I-74 will have a multiplex with US 74 in North Carolina, and I-41 will do the same with US 41 in Wisconsin. Several two-digit numbers are shared between two roads at opposite ends of the country, namely I-76, I-84, I-86 and I-88. Some of these were the result of a change in the numbering system in the 1970s; previously letter-suffixed numbers were used for long spurs off primary routes; for example, western I-84 was I-80N, as it went north from I-80. In the 1970s, AASHTO decided to eliminate these; some became additional two-digit routes, while others became three-digit routes (see below). Only two pairs of these exist; I-35 splits into I-35W and I-35E through both the Dallas-Fort Worth and the Minneapolis-St. Paul areas. Strict adherence to the directional nature of the system results in some amusing oddities. For a ten-mile stretch east of Wytheville, Virginia, the driver can be traveling on both North I-81 and South I-77 at the same time (and vice versa) (see also Wrong-way multiplex). For the sake of efficiency, some Interstates double up for short or sometimes long distances, as in the example above. Another notable example are Interstates I-90 and I-94, which double and then separate several times as they criss-cross the upper Midwest and Great Plains.

Three-digit Interstates

Three-digit route numbers, consisting of a single digit prefixed to the number of a primary Interstate highway, are used to designate usually short spur or loop routes from their "parent" route, either directly or via another three-digit Interstate. A route that spurs from its parent and ends at an intersection with no other Interstates is given an odd first digit; a route that returns to its parent is given an even first digit. The number given to the first digit of a route that spurs from the parent and ends at another Interstate depends on the state; some consider these routes spurs and give them odd numbers, while others consider them loop-style connectors and give them even numbers. For instance, I-90 in New York has a full set of three-digit Interstates - I-190, I-290, I-390, I-490, I-590, I-690, I-790, I-890 and I-990. Due to the large number of these routes, they can be repeated in different places along the mainline; no two three-digit Interstates in the same state can share a number. The Minneapolis-St. Paul area has a single loop around the entire Metro area. I-94 intersects the loop in two spots and runs directly through it separating it into a northern and southern half. The southern half of it is labeled I-494 while the northern half of it is labeled I-694. Charlotte, North Carolina has a single loop around the city that intersects with both I-77 and I-85, but the entire loop is known as I-485. The Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area has several spur routes off of I-95. The area has I-195, I-295, I-495, I-795 and I-895. It also has two routes numbered I-395 (in Baltimore and Washington) and two I-695s (one is signed, the other is a secret designation), as well as an unsigned route called I-595. No I-995 exists anywhere. New York City has numerous spur routes off of I-78 and I-95, but none of I-78's spur routes actually intersect with I-78. A three-digit spur off a letter-suffixed two-digit Interstate (see above) was given a number without a letter suffix, except for one case - I-184 in Idaho was I-180N.

Exceptions

:Main article: List of gaps in Interstate Highways Interstate 238 near Oakland, California is one of two major exceptions to the numbering scheme, as no Interstate 38 exists. This number exists because Interstate 238 replaced a segment of California Highway 238, and no appropriate number was available. The other exception is I-99 in Pennsylvania, which was written into law as I-99 by Pennsylvania Congressman Bud Shuster; I-99 (which is also U.S. Highway 220) is west of several Interstates that are numerically less than 99, and was the nearest available unused two-digit number. Some proposed future Interstate routes have been given similarly non-conforming designations by their legislative proponents. For example, backers of the proposed Third Infantry Division Highway, a route in Georgia and Tennessee, have suggested it be named Interstate 3, in honor of the division for which the highway is named [http://www.interstate-guide.com/i-003.html].

Other notable examples


- I-82 lies fully north of I-84, but I-84 was I-80N when I-82 got its number.
- I-85 diverts west of I-75 (intersecting it near Atlanta, Georgia) The following two-digit Interstates change signed direction from their normal (even=east-west, odd=north-south) direction:
- I-69
- I-76 (west) Two-digit interstates in Hawaii, as well as the "paper" interstates of Alaska and Puerto Rico, are numbered sequentially in order of funding, without regard to the rules on odd and even numbers. Business Loop and Business Spur Interstates are not subject to any of the Interstate standards. Their designation is simple - a Business Loop heads into a downtown area from its parent and returns to its parent; a Business Spur ends downtown, occasionally continuing from the end of the main Interstate. Business routes can split from either two- or three-digit Interstates, and can be repeated within a state. In a few cases, where an Interstate has been realigned, the old road has been designated a Business Loop because it is not up to standards.

Financing

About 72% ([http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/ohim/hs03/htm/hf10.htm 2003 FHWA summary]) of the construction and maintenance costs are funded through user fees, primarily gasoline taxes, collected by states and the federal government, and tolls collected on toll roads and bridges. The rest of the costs come out of the federal budget. In the eastern United States, large sections of some Interstate Highways planned or built prior to 1956 are operated as toll roads. The taxes dedicated to the construction and maintenance of highways are often criticized as a direct subsidy from the government to promote and maintain auto-oriented development as we know it today. The dominant role of the federal government in road finance has enabled it to pass laws in areas outside of the powers enumerated in the federal Constitution. By threatening to withhold highway funds, the federal government has been able to force state legislatures to pass a variety of laws. Examples include increasing the legal drinking age to 21, for a number of years reducing the maximum speed limit to 55 miles per hour, passing Megan's Law legislation, lowering the legal intoxication level to 0.08/1000, and other laws. This has proved to be controversial. Those who support this feel that it is a way to provide an impetus to states to pass uniform legislation. Others feel that using highway dollars in this fashion upsets the balance between federal and states' rights in favor of the federal government, and effectively holds funds as ransom in order to coerce state governments into passing laws that would not have otherwised been introduced. As American suburbs push ever outward, the costs incurred of maintaining freeway infrastructure has started to catch up with the economy, leaving little in the way of funds for new interstate construction. This has led to the proliferation of the toll road (turnpike) as the new method of building limited-access highways in suburban areas. Also, some interstates are being privately maintained now (VMS in Texas, I-35) in order to cut rising costs of maintenance and allow state departments of transportation to focus on serving the fastest growing regions in their respective states. The future of the interstate system as we know it is in question. It is entirely possible that parts of the system will have to be tolled in the future to meet maintenance and expansion demands, as is done with adding toll HOV/HOT lanes in certain cities like Minneapolis, Houston, Dallas, and Washington D.C.

Non-chargeable Interstate routes

In addition to Interstate highways financed with federal funds (Chargeable Interstate routes), federal laws allow other highways to be signed as Interstates, if they meet the Interstate Highway standards and that they are logical additions or connections to the System. Called Non-Chargeable Interstate routes, these additions fall under two categories: # Routes that already meet Interstate standards. They can immediately be signed as Interstates once their proposed number is approved. # Routes designated as a future part of the system once they are upgraded to Interstate standards. Until then, it cannot be signed as an Interstate yet.

Signage

dollar Interstate Highways are signed by a number on a red, white and blue sign as shown to the right. In the original design, the state was formerly listed above the highway number, but in many states, this area is now left blank. The sign itself measures 36 inches high, and is 36 inches wide for two-digit interstates, or 45 inches for three-digit interstates. Business Loop and Business Spur Interstates use a special shield where the red and blue are replaced with green; the word BUSINESS appears instead of INTERSTATE, and the word SPUR or LOOP usually appears above the number. The majority of Interstates have exit numbers. All traffic signs and lane markings on the Interstates are supposed to be designed in compliance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). However, there are many local and regional variations in signage. The state of California is now adapting to an exit numbering system after many years as being the only state in the country that did not use such a system. In most states, the exit numbers correspond to the mileage markers on the Interstates (with an exception being I-19 in Arizona, whose length is measured in kilometers instead of miles). Many northeastern states label exit numbers sequentially, regardless of how many miles have passed between exits. On even-numbered Interstates, mileage increases to the east and decreases to the west; and on odd-numbered Interstates, mileage increases to the north and decreases to the south. In both cases, the exit numbers increase and decrease accordingly.

Interstate oddities


- Vinita, Oklahoma — A McDonalds is built over the top of Interstate 44. It goes from one side of the interstate to the other, passing over the interstate. Customers can sit inside and eat while traffic drives beneath them. It is also purported to be the "world's largest".
- Kearney, Nebraska — The Great Platte River Road Archway Museum is built over top of Interstate 80. The 1,500 ton structure spans 308 feet across the interstate and houses a museum dedicated to frontier culture.
- Reno, Nevada — A Walgreens store sits on top of a segment of Interstate 80 in downtown Reno.
- Newton, Massachusetts — A Star Market supermarket is built over the top of Interstate 90. Traffic reporters refer to this point on the highway as the "Star Market overpass".
- Newton, Massachusetts — A Sheraton hotel is built over the top of Interstate 90.
- Boston, Massachusetts — The Prudential Tower in downtown Boston is built over top of Interstate 90 as well. A less known fact about Interstate 90 is that it is built over what used to be the largest railroad corridor in New England; photos from the 1950s show huge rail yards where I-90 now comes into the city. Many of the oddities on I-90 are the result of deals struck by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, Perini Corporation (which constructed the majority of the highway), and existing buildings at the time of construction. In return for not obstructing the highway project, the MTA went to lengths such as preserving the aforementioned Star Market.
- Atlanta, Georgia — The Civic Center MARTA station is located over the Downtown Connector (Interstate 75/85) at West Peachtree Street, making it the only subway station built over an Interstate highway.
- Illinois — The Illinois Tollway oasis is a type of rest area which spans the top of the interstate highway it is on. There are seven of them which are on the Tri-State Tollway (Interstates 80, 94 & 294), Northwest Tollway (Interstate 90) and the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (Interstate 88). Customers are able to sit inside the Oases and eat while traffic goes by beneath them. This type of development is common in the UK.
- Seattle, Washington — The [http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/parks/parkspaces/FreewayPark.htm Seattle Freeway Park] sits on top of Interstate 5 (NB and SB, including HOV express lanes). The park is connected to the [http://www.wsctc.com Washington State Convention Center] connecting downtown to the [http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/tour/capitol.htm Capitol Hill] and First Hill districts (locally, First Hill is also known as "Pill Hill" as this is Seattle's medical district). The park is multi-level and as such, there are areas where visitors are able to watch traffic pass by.
- Breezewood, Pennsylvania — There is a sign of a policeman pointing at you saying, "You! Slow Down!" You then have to drive a few blocks on US 30 before returning to I-70. This is a rare instance of a traffic light on an interstate.
- Jersey City, New Jersey — Interstate 78 follows a pair of one-way streets for a short distance between the Newark Bay Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Holland Tunnel, which leads into New York City. Along with the aforementioned I-70, this is the only other primary interstate with traffic lights.

Criticism

In addition to the various economic issues, the system has roused criticism on aesthetic grounds. The efficiency and faster speeds of the system, made possible in part by engineering techniques that often tend to cut through the land rather than merely following it as with the older U.S. Highway, have inevitably resulted in a safer but less-scenic drive. When the cross-country I-40 was finally finished in the late 1980s, by completing the segment between Raleigh, North Carolina and Wilmington, North Carolina, Charles Kuralt stated, "It is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything!"

References

# 65 MPH Approved for Route, Wichita Eagle-Beacon, October 24, 1987 # Field, David. "On 40th birthday, interstates face expensive midlife crisis." Insight on the News, 29 July 1996, 40-42.

See also


- Autobahn
- Freeway
- Gas tax
- Highway patrol
- Non-motorized vehicle access on freeways
- List of roads and highways
- Mile-log
- Parkway
- Ramp meter
- Speed limit
- Toll road
- Traffic light
- United States highway
- National Highway System
- List of major freeway systems
- Controlled-access highway

External links


- [http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/interstate.html Interstate Highway information]
- [http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/routefinder/index.htm FHWA Route Log and Finder List]
- [http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/septoct00/urban.htm FHWA Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center] - Analysis and History of Interstate Highway System
- [http://www.kurumi.com/roads/3di/ 3-digit Interstate Highways]
- [http://www.aaroads.com/ Pictures of all Interstates]
- [http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?doc=88 One] of 100 milestone documents of American history
- Federal Highway Administration's [http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/summer96/p96su10.htm article on the act]
- Fortune magazine on [http://www.fortune.com/fortune/fortune500/articles/0,15114,574088,00.html history of the Interstate Highway System]
- [http://www.geocities.com/michelleskinnerfreeway Another great Interstate Page], with facts on all 2-digit Interstates and links to their exit lists
- [http://www.ajfroggie.com/triskele Highway Heaven] Contains exit lists for most Interstate highways
- [http://www.triskele.com/fonts/index.html RoadGeek] - A complete set of TrueType fonts for simulating Interstate and other highway signage ja:ドワイト・デーヴィッド・アイゼンハワー全米州間国防高速道路網

Interstate 79

Interstate 79 is an interstate highway in the eastern United States. It runs from Charleston, West Virginia at Interstate 77 to Erie, Pennsylvania at Pennsylvania State Highway 5.

Length

Major Cities Along the Route


- Charleston, West Virginia
- Morgantown, West Virginia
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (western suburbs: Pittsburgh International Airport; Cranberry; Wexford)
- Erie, Pennsylvania

Intersections with other Interstates


- Interstate 77 in Charleston, West Virginia
- Interstate 64 in Charleston, West Virginia via Interstate 77 for less than 1 mile
- Interstate 68 in Morgantown, West Virginia
- Interstate 70 in Washington, Pennsylvania
- Interstate 76 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Interstate 80 in Pardoe, Pennsylvania (near Mercer, Pennsylvania)
- Interstate 90 in Erie, Pennsylvania

Shunpiking the Pennsylvania Turnpike

Shunpiking the Interstate 70 portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike via Interstate 68 and Interstate 79 is acctually shorter than using the Turnpike. From Hancock, Maryland to Washington, Pennsylvania using the Turnpike the route is 155 miles, while the Shunpiking route from Hancock, Maryland to Washington, Pennsylvania via Morgantown, West Virginia is 151.8 miles. The speed limit is also higher on the Shunpiking route as West Virginia has a speed limit of 70 mph.

Spur Routes


- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - I-279, I-579

Notes

This interstate primarily acts as a thoroughfare through western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. It is a major route for Canadians using the Buffalo, New York crossing traveling to and from Florida. I-579, which consists mostly of the Veterans Bridge in downtown Pittsburgh, is a short Interstate, but not the shortest. (Its length is officially 1.57 miles (2.53 km); I-375 in Michigan is shorter and signed. I-878, at 0.72 miles (1.16 km), is the shortest unsigned interstate, as of 2002.) 79 79 79

Carnegie, Pennsylvania

Carnegie is a borough located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, five miles (8 km) (direct) southwest of Pittsburgh. Population count in 1900, 7,330; in 1910, 10,009; in 1920, 11,516; and in 1940, 12,663. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 8,389. Carnegie is not situated beside a river, therefore no great steel mill existed there (despite its name). The early manufactories were of the light industry types. Coal-mining existed there, as did the manufacturing of stoves. Lead works existed, too, but those manufactories are things of the past. They are as extinct as the horse and buggy.

Geography

Carnegie is located at 40°24'25" North, 80°5'12" West (40.406819, -80.086795). It is approximately 7 miles southwest of downtown Pittsburgh. According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 4.3 km² (1.6 mi²). 4.3 km² (1.6 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.

History and culture

Carnegie is named after Andrew Carnegie, who donated one of his libraries for the gesture. It was incorporated around 1902-1903 from the boroughs of Chartiers and Mansfield (separated by Chartiers Creek). Later, the borough annexed part of Robinson Township (now Rossalyn Heights). Neighborhoods include Rossalyn Heights, Cubbage Hill, Irishtown, Forsythe Hill, Library Hill, and Old Mansfield. Many neighborhoods were at one time or another mined for coal. The main industries were a few excuses for steel mills. Carnegie had a rail yard that had connections to several railroads early in the twentieth century. The Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal railroad was one of them. The Pennsylvania Railroad connected Carnegie later. In the 1970s, Carnegie suffered economically with the closure of the great steel mills such as J & L in and around Pittsburgh and the railroad yard stopped its growth. Notable celebrities include Honus Wagner (who, according to local legend, was discovered throwing rocks along the rail line not too far from his home). Mike Ditka also spent some of his early years here (a ballfield on Cubbage Hill was named after him). Carnegie is ethnically diverse, marked by the number of churches as well as bars in the neighborhood. There are several Catholic churches serving different communities - Polish (St. Ignatius), Irish (St. Luke), German (St. Josephs) and Italian (Holy Souls) - as well as at least two Ukrainian orthodox churches, several Methodist churches, several Baptist Churches and a Synagogue. Another peculiar aspect of Carnegie is the number of local clubs there are (VFW, FOE, AL, Elks, Polish Eagles, Polish Sportsmen, AOH, Ukrainian Club (the "Ukes"), plus a number of smaller clubs). In the 1920s or 1930s, the Ku Klux Klan came to Carnegie to try and recruit members. A riot ensued, and at least one person was killed.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 8,389 people, 3,967 households, and 2,134 families residing in the borough. The population density is 1,963.0/km² (5,076.7/mi²). There are 4,249 housing units at an average density of 994.3/km² (2,571.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough is 91.32% White, 5.57% African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. 0.99% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 3,967 households out of which 22.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.4% are married couples living together, 13.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 46.2% are non-families. 40.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 18.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.10 and the average family size is 2.86. In the borough the population is spread out with 19.4% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 85.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 81.0 males. The median income for a household in the borough is $32,589, and the median income for a family is $41,371. Males have a median income of $30,792 versus $26,239 for females. The per capita income for the borough is $21,119. 11.5% of the population and 9.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.4% of those under the age of 18 and 7.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

External links

Category:Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Category:Andrew Carnegie Category:Boroughs in Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh

:This article is about the city. For the song, see Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (song). For other places, see Pittsburg. Pittsburg Pittsburgh is a city in Western Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 334,563 (metropolitan area 2,358,695), making it the second-largest city in the state. Pittsburgh, nicknamed The Steel City, was traditionally considered the center of the American steel industry. In recent years the city has turned to technology, especially biotechnology and robotics, leading the Wall Street Journal to dub the city "Roboburgh." The Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute and numerous private companies have made Pittsburgh perhaps the top robotics city outside of Japan, while the University of Pittsburgh boasts one of the top [http://www.medschool.pitt.edu/ medical schools] and one of the best [http://sti.upmc.com/ organ transplant institutes] in the world. The city is also one of the nation's major nonprofit centers, home to major funders such as the Heinz Foundations and thousands of other nonprofit organizations. Pittsburgh also has a booming art scene and a long history of supporting culture and the arts.

History

France was the first European country to send settlers to the forks of the Ohio River. They did so after capturing a small British garrison founded by William Trent. The Virginia colony sent Major George Washington with a scout named Christopher Gist to deliver a message to the French, demanding their withdrawal, and to reconnoiter their positions. The French refused. Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia then sent Washington back in command of a small troop of colonial soldiers, but the French forced him to surrender at a makeshift fort, Fort Necessity. During the French and Indian War (1754-1763), the British colonies captured Fort Duquesne, which sat at the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, at the part of downtown Pittsburgh now known as "The Point". The British built a larger fort on the same site and named it Fort Pitt in honor of the British statesman William Pitt the Elder. Fort Pitt was garrisoned in case of French attack during the French and Indian War, but by the time the improvements were made the war was over. William Pitt the Elder Pittsburgh was located in an area that was claimed by both Virginia and Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh was briefly the seat of government for the short lived District of West Augusta, a Virginia county designed to compete with Pennsylvania's Westmoreland County, based in nearby Hannastown, which also claimed the region. In 1780, Virginia and Pennsylvania agreed on the current boundaries of the state and Pittsburgh officially became part of Pennsylvania. After the Revolutionary War, Pittsburgh was the center of the Whiskey Rebellion, which was put down by state militias ordered in by President George Washington. Beginning in the early 19th century, Pittsburgh's proximity to large coal deposits and excellent positioning along major trade routes made it one of the world's leading industrial powerhouses. Steel production was a major industry for many years, earning the city its nickname, "The Steel City". Pittsburgh lies at the confluence of the Monongahela River and Allegheny River, which merge to form the Ohio River, ultimately draining into the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico. As an industrial city, Pittsburgh was also a major hub of early railroad activity. Millions of European immigrants settled in and around Pittsburgh in the 19th and early 20th centuries to seek employment in the steel mills, coal mines, railroads, or numerous associated industries. The production of glass, for both industrial and decorative use, was also an established industry in the city. On July 21, 1877, a day after bloody rioting in Baltimore from Baltimore and Ohio Railroad workers and the deaths of nine rail workers at the hands of the Maryland militia, workers in Pittsburgh staged a sympathy strike that was met with an assault by the state militia — Pittsburgh then erupted into widespread rioting. Another major confrontation occurred during the Homestead Strike in 1892. 1892 Thanks to the presence of the nearby Bettis Laboratory and the Shippingport power plant, Pittsburgh became the world's first nuclear powered city in 1960. With the recessions of the 1970s and the advent of cheap foreign labor, Pittsburgh's steel mills found themselves unable to compete with foreign steel mills, and most closed down. This created a ripple effect that decimated the local economy, as railroads, mines, and factories across the region shut down, one by one. The collapse of the US steel industry in the 1970s marked a major turning point for the city of Pittsburgh, and brought with it an unexpected renaissance as the mills closed and Pittsburgh began to shed its image of a dirty, smoky place. Pittsburgh was spared the fate of other postindustrial Rust Belt cities as the basis of the economy dramatically shifted from heavy industry to services and high technology. Pittsburgh is also home to various new skyscrapers, the tallest being the U.S. Steel Tower, famous for having only three sides. Also notable on the city skyline is the futuristic PPG Place. Pittsburgh's population decline during the last half century is remarkable:

Geography and climate

PPG Place Pittsburgh is located at (40.441419, -79.977292). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 151.1 km² (58.3 mi²). 144.0 km² (55.6 mi²) of it is land and 7.2 km² (2.8 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 4.75% water. Pittsburgh is located at the center of a fairly expansive set of river valleys, and much of the city's residential population is situated on or near the slopes of those valleys with certain neighborhoods (particularly south of the Monongahela) nearly inaccessible by car during the winter. As a result, Pittsburgh is widely believed to be right behind San Francisco as the "steepest" city in the United States. A pair of "inclines", or trams (cable cars on inclined rails) ascend the slope of Mount Washington, assisting in local public transportation; several tunnels are major access routes through the slopes. Pittsburgh has more public staircases (700) than any other city in the United States, followed by Cincinnati and San Francisco. Many of these staircases have street names and street signs, and lead to hillside neighborhoods that can be inaccessible by car, especially in the winter. Pittsburgh has been called the "east coast's San Francisco".

Climate

Pittsburgh has a temperate climate, with four seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter). Spring and Fall generally have cool temperatures, Summer is warm and Winter is cold. The winters are usually not extreme, with an average temperature between 20 °F and 30 °F (−7 °C to −1 °C). In spring, the city warms up gradually; summers are moderately warm and somewhat humid. The average temperature during the summer months ranges between 70 °F and 80 °F (16 °C and 21 °C). The average annual rainfall is 36.9 inches (937 mm), and the average annual snowfall is 20.5 inches (52 cm).

People and culture

Demographics

Winter temple in Pittsburgh attracts large Hindu/Indian immigrant crowds from the BosWash megapolis.]] According to the census of 2000, there are 334,563 people, 143,739 households, and 74,169 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,324.1/km² (6,019.0/mi²). There are 163,366 housing units at an average density of 1,134.9/km² (2,939.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 67.63% White, 27.12% African American, 0.19% Native American, 2.75% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.66% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. 1.32% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 143,739 households out of which 21.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.2% are married couples living together, 16.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 48.4% are non-families. 39.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.17 and the average family size is 2.95. In the city the population is spread out with 19.9% under the age of 18, 14.8% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 87.8 males. The median income for a household in the city is $28,588, and the median income for a family is $38,795. Males have a median income of $32,128 versus $25,500 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,816. 20.4% of the population and 15.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 27.5% of those under the age of 18 and 13.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Pittsburgh generally has among the lowest, if not the lowest crime rates of any comparably sized city in the United States.

Museums, arts, and entertainment

United States Wealthy area businessmen of the 19th century, including Andrew Carnegie, the Heinz family and Henry Clay Frick, donated large sums of money to local educational and cultural institutions. As a result, Pittsburgh is rich in art and culture. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is world-class, performs in Heinz Hall, which also plays host to other events throughout the year. The Benedum Center and Heinz Hall provide venues for numerous musicals, lectures, speeches, and other performances. Pittsburgh is also home to one of only two professional brass bands in the world, the River City Brass Band. Other musical arts groups include the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra (PYSO) and the River City Youth Brass Band, both of which include top musicians from the Pittsburgh area, in addition to the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, a nationally and internationally acclaimed semi-professional choir. These performances produced by these intensive programs are usually free to the public. Pittsburgh also boasts several visual arts museums, including the Andy Warhol Museum, dedicated to the works of Pittsburgh native Andy Warhol. The Carnegie Museum of Art is home to works by such luminaries as Edgar Degas, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and many others, along with galleries of sculpture, modern art, the Heinz Architectural Center, a large film and video collection, and various travelling exhibits. Installation art is featured outdoors at ArtGardens of Pittsburgh. The Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece Fallingwater is about an hour's drive from downtown, and the North Shore boasts an 1895 neogothic church, Calvary Methodist, whose interior was designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany; the church's stained glass windows are some of the largest and most elaborate work Tiffany ever created. Pittsburgh Filmmakers teaches media arts and runs three "art house" movie theaters. The Pittsburgh Playhouse at Point Park University has four resident companies of professional actors. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History has extensive dinosaur collections on display, including the complete first Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered, and an Egyptian wing. The building may be distinguished by a life-size statue known as, "Dippy the Diplodocus" to the right of the main entrance. Other dinosaur statues are visible around the Pittsburgh area, these decorated by artists nationwide and sold as a benefit to the Carnegie Museums. The Carnegie Science Center is more technology oriented. Pittsburgh also houses the country's National Aviary. Phipp's Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, in the Oakland region of Pittsburgh, feature seasonal and global plants in a recently-remodeled Victorian-style greenhouse. More additions to the Conservatory are scheduled to begin in 2005. Just up the street from the Conservatory is the Schenley Park Golf Course, one of Pittsburgh's premiere public golf links. Kennywood Park is widely regarded by rollercoaster connoisseurs to have one of the best collections of functional rollercoasters in the world, including several early 20th century wooden coasters: the Racer, the Thunderbolt, and the Jack Rabbit. A water park owned by Kennywood, Sandcastle, is another local amusement park. Recently, Pittsburgh has gained a reputation for its large indie rock scene. Several notable indie rock bands have come from Pittsburgh in recent years, including Rusted Root, Don Caballero, and punk rock band Anti-Flag. Some of these bands have ventured into film scoring and video, such as Jesse Prentiss and Jamal Morelli's "Ritual Space Travel Agency" and Ben Opie's "Watershed" The David L. Lawrence Convention Center, located on the south bank of the Allegheny River, is quickly becoming some of the most sought after convention space in the country, as it is able to accommodate all sizes of conventions, exhibitions and conferences. Certified with a Gold rating by the [http://www.usgbc.org/ U.S. Green Building Council's] [http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] initiative, the building is considered the first ever "green" convention center and world's largest "green" building. The convention center hosts such prominent events as the [http://www.pittsburghauto.org Pittsburgh International Auto Show], the [http://www.awea.org/wp06.html Windpower 2006 Conference & Exhibition], the [http://www.youthspecialties.com/NYWC National Youth Workers Convention] and the 2005 National Council of Teachers of English National Convention.

Sports

Club Sport Founded League Venue Logo
Football 1933 National Football League; AFC Heinz Field Heinz Field
Baseball 1882 Major League Baseball; NL PNC Park PNC Park
Ice Hockey 1967 National Hockey League Mellon Arena Mellon Arena
Basketball 2000
- 		American Basketball Association Mellon Arena and Peterson Events Center Peterson Events Center
Soccer 1998 United Soccer League Falconi Field Falconi Field
Baseball 2001 Frontier League Falconi Field Falconi Field
Football 2002 NWFA Rubenstein Stadium Rubenstein Stadium
---- Pittsburgh has a strong connection to sports. In addition to the major sports teams listed above, many famous athletes were born and raised in the Pittsburgh region, including Stan Musial, Honus Wagner and both Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. in baseball, and former world champion boxers Michael Moorer, Billy Conn and Paul Spadafora. However, the Pittsburgh area is known for producing football greats, in particular quarterbacks. The "cradle of quarterbacks," as the Pittsburgh area is known, produced Hall of Famers Dan Marino, Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana, Jim Kelly and Joe Namath as well as dozens of other quarterbacks of note including Johnny Lujack, Gus Frerotte, Marc Bulger and the modern NFL's first black quarterback, Willie Thrower. Metro Pittsburgh has also produced football standouts in other positions, including Mike Ditka, Ty Law, Jack Ham, Curtis Martin and Tony Dorsett. Not surprisingly, football is the major sport across the region on all levels; high school, college and professional. Baseball and hockey are also big draws as well as minor and school league basketball. Pittsburgh had the most public swim pools per capita than any other place in the world. Most local high schools have indoor pools and many communities, country clubs and home-owner associations have vibrant summer swim clubs. Pittsburgh has been called the "city of champions" for its success in sports. The city and region enjoyed a string of championships in the 1970s. Not only did the Steelers win four Super Bowls under just one coach and a core group of players (a feat that Pittsburgh alone holds), but the Pirates won six division championships, and bracketed the decade with World Series victories over the Baltimore Orioles in 1971 and 1979. Even the Pittsburgh Triangles of the short-lived World Team Tennis took the Association championship in 1975, their second year of play. Although they missed the flurry of championships in the Steel City in the '70s, the Penguins brought home back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships in the early 1990s. The 1970s also saw the University of Pittsburgh Panthers win a National Title and contest for two others. Some minor polls named Pitt #1 in those years. Overall, the school has won nine football National Championships and two basketball National Championships. The city also celebrated the American Basketball Association's Pittsburgh Pipers, which won the world's first modern basketball championship (which for the first time allowed the dunk and three-point shot) in 1968. The Pipers later changed their name to the Pittsburgh Condors, but would never again reach the heights of that first season. Pittsburgh was the home to the minor league basketball Rens of the 1950s and 1960s and the Piranah's in the early 1990s. One of the lasting legacies of the Pittsburgh basketball scene was the 1979 movie The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh that cast the fictional "Pittsburgh Pisces" in the finals and included cameos of many great NBA and Harlem Globetrotter Greats. The campy movie was almost B-grade in its quality but has garnered a cult-following, it was not, however, the greatest regional piece captured on film. The same cannot be said of Slap Shot, the quirky 1977 hockey comedy shot in nearby Johnstown, which is widely loved in hockey circles, as well as All the Right Moves capturing the passion of local High School and College Football in the Pittsburgh region. Pittsburgh's rich sports heritage also features the Negro Leagues, stomping grounds of baseball greats Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige. Pittsburgh hosted two Negro League teams in the 1930s and 1940s. The Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Homestead Grays were dynasties in their own right, competing in the Negro League world series almost every season for twenty years. The region's sports history included a few upstart professional teams such as the baseball 1890 Pittsburgh Burghers and the 1914-15 Pittsburgh Burghers, the 1980s USFL Pittsburgh Maulers (owned by San Francisco 49ers owner DeBartolo) and the Arena Football League Pittsburgh Gladiators of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Pittsburgh hosted the first-ever "Arena Bowl", with the home team making two appearances in it. The region also once had a thriving college football scene with Duquesne University, Carnegie Mellon University (then called Carnegie Tech), the University of Pittsburgh, and Washington and Jefferson College, all making "major" bowl game appearances and ranking high in national polls from the 1910s through the 1940s. Although Robert Morris, Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne still field NCAA I-AA or Division III teams, only the University of Pittsburgh program plays a Division I national schedule. Both Central Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Puffins (a founding member team) compete in the [http://www.eteamz.com/powha Pennsylvania-Ohio Women's Hockey Association (POWHA)], a women's amateur travel league. Central Pittsburgh was the first non-founding team to join the league in 2004. They quickly became a force finishing second in both the regular season and the playoffs, losing to the [http://eteamz.active.com/labattbluesicehockey Cleveland Blues] by one goal in the POWHA Championship game. In their previous meeting with the Blues they had tied 4-4 and won 4-0. They were the only team in the league to shutout the Blues, who finished first in both the regular season and playoffs.

Politics

From the Civil War era to the 1930s, Pittsburgh was considered a Republican stronghold. Since the Great Depression, Pittsburgh has been dominated by Democratic candidates. Considered socially liberal, Pittsburgh citizens tend to be members of the Democratic party. This is primarily due to the city's labor union population, which has continued to dwindle with the decline of the U.S. Steel market. Democratic candidates have been elected consecutively to either the mayor's office or city council since 1933, when David L. Lawrence led the party to power. A majority of Pittsburghers in the inner-city are very democratic and push for civil rights, where the outlying areas tend to be Republican and conservative. The city has an ordinance protecting GLBT citizens from dscrimination. It is the only city within a 200 mile radius with such protections and has thus become a beacon to people of alternate lifestyles. The mayor serves a four year term and the last election was held on November 2nd, 2005. Bob O'Connor, from the city's Greenfield neighborhood, will replace Tom Murphy in 2006. City council members are chosen by plurality elections in each of nine districts. The city is currently facing a financial crisis and has been declared a "distressed municipality" by the state. This may result in massive cuts to city programs and debates over which taxes to raise, or it may bring about long-lasting political change. So far, the city has fared well through this process, and has even began to grow, with the recent addition of American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. relocating their corporate headquarters to the South Side neighborhood. Recently, a buyer has been found for the defunct Lord & Taylor store downtown, and preparations are under way for three new mixed occupation buildings downtown.

Economy

Pittsburgh has adapted in the wake of the steel industry's collapse. The primary industries have shifted from steel manufacture and heavy industry to high technology, robotics, health care, biomedical technology, finance, and service-based fields. Education, from primary/secondary through magnet schools, specialized professional institutes, and top-flight universities, is also a major local employer. Pittsburgh has a very low cost of living compared to other cities in the Northeastern U.S. The average price for a 3- to 4-bedroom, 2-bath family home in Pittsburgh is $162,000, which is well below the national average ($264,540 as of October 2004, according to the Federal Housing Finance Board). Fixer-uppers and smaller homes in the city can be found for under $50,000.

Corporations headquartered in Pittsburgh


- 84 Lumber
- Alcoa (Fortune 500)
- Allegheny Energy
- Allegheny Technologies (Fortune 500)
- Bayer USA (Fortune 500)
- DQE
- FedEx Ground (Fortune 500)
- Federated Investors
- GNC
- Giant Eagle
- Heinz (Fortune 500)
- Medrad
- Mellon Financial (Fortune 500)
- PNC Financial Services (Fortune 500)
- PPG (Fortune 500)
- Respironics
- U.S. Steel (Fortune 500)
- WESCO International (Fortune 500)
- Westinghouse (Fortune 500)
- EDMC
- American Eagle Outfitters

Education

The Pittsburgh region is home to many universities and research facilities, the most prominent of which are Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. Carnegie Mellon University houses one of the oldest computer science school and the oldest drama school in the United States, both of which are widely considered to be among the best in their fields. Carnegie Mellon University also houses internationally renown research centers including the world-famous Software Engineering Institute (SEI) and the Robotics Institute, the first of its kind in the world and a leader in the field of robotics. It also houses a top ten [http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/eng/brief/engrank_brief.php] engineering school, and its top ten [http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/MB_05_Scoreboard.pdf] business school is consistently ranked among the best in the nation. Carnegie Mellon University is famous for its unique interdisciplinary environment and as an innovative leader in education. Carnegie Mellon University is affiliated with 12 Nobel Laureates. The [http://www.health.pitt.edu/ Health Sciences Department] at the University of Pittsburgh and the [http://www.upmc.com/ University of Pittsburgh Medical Center] operate some of the finest hospitals in the world, and an advanced medical research center that performs pioneering work in organ transplantation, AIDS and cancer research, and many other fields. University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine is ranked amongst the top twenty graduate medical programs nationally [http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/directory/dir-med/brief/glanc_04101_brief.php]. The university is also known for its respected programs in its departments of Asian studies, business, philosophy and philosophy of science, as well as for its [http://www.law.pitt.edu law] and engineering schools. Pittsburgh public school teachers are paid well relative to their peers, ranking 17th in 2000-2001 among the 100 largest cities by population for the highest minimum salary offered to teachers with a BA ($34,300). Pittsburgh ranked fifth in the highest maximum salary offered to teachers with an MA ($66,380). Local public schools include many charter and magnet schools, including [http://www.cityhigh.org/ City Charter High School] (computer and technology focused), [http://homewoodes.pghboe.net/ Homewood Montessori], [http://gifted.pghboe.net/ Pittsburgh Gifted Center], [http://www.pps.k12.pa.us/FrickMiddleFactSheet.asp the Frick International Studies Center], [http://capahs.pghboe.net/ Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts], and several schools for blind, deaf, or otherwise challenged children.

See also


- California University of Pennsylvania
- Carlow University
- Chatham College
- Duquesne University
- LaRoche College
- Penn State University
- Pittsburgh Flight Training Center
- Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics
- [http://www.pti.edu Pittsburgh Technical Institute]
- Pittsburgh Youth Ballet
- Point Park University
- Robert Morris University
- Seton Hill University
- Slippery Rock University
- [http://www.stvincent.edu/ St. Vincent College]
- The Art Institute of Pittsburgh
- Washington & Jefferson College

Media

Pittsburgh boasts not only the world's very first commercial radio station, world's first PBS station, as well as the first "networked" TV station and "mid-western" newspaper, but even today has a bevy of media talent and resources. It is one of the few mid-sized metros in the U.S. with two major daily papers. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review have a long history of Pulitzer Prizes and breaking in-depth investigative news stories on a national scale. The alternative paper in the region is the Pittsburgh City Paper and the region boasts one of the larger ethnic publications in the Pittsburgh Courier. The Pittsburgh TV Market is served by CBS O&O KDKA-TV Channel 2, ABC affiliate WTAE Channel 4, and NBC Affliate WPXI Channel 11. WQED Channel 13 is Pittsburgh's PBS affiliate and is a major contributor to national media as the source for "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood", "National Geographic Explorer", and "Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?". Pittsburgh Radio is dominated by KDKA 1020 AM and KQV 1410 AM, WEAE 1250 AM provides sports radio to the tri-state. On the FM dial WXDX "The X" and WDVE as well as the legendary WAMO provide the foundation of the pop music scene. Pittsburgh is also home to WQED-FM, a listener supported commercial free classical music station.

Transportation

WQED-FM Pittsburgh is connected to other urban areas by I-76 (The Pennsylvania Turnpike), I-79 and I-70. On the northern extremes of the metro area I-80 connects with the city's suburbs. On the rails the city has passenger railroad Amtrak and various freight railroads. Pittsburgh is also served by the Pittsburgh International Airport in Findlay Township, Pennsylvania. The Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in the city's easternmost suburbs serves as a secondary "reliever" airport for commercial traffic, providing a few scheduled commercial flights daily. General aviation enthusiasts may prefer Allegheny County Airport, a 1920s art-deco marvel that once hosted Charles Lindbergh and now handles 139,000 private and corporate-jet flights a year in the city's southern suburbs. Pittsburgh has a high number of freeze/thaw cycles in the winter which is sometimes blamed for the difficulty of maintaining local roads. The hills and rivers of Pittsburgh form many barriers to transportation within the city.

Bridges

Bridges are ubiquitous around town, as they connect the neighborhoods separated by rivers and valleys. The southern and eastern entrances to the city are through tunnels. Pittsburgh has more bridges than any other city in the world: over 2,000 bridges dot the landscape of Allegheny County [http://www.pghbridges.com/articles/fieldnote_howmany.htm], while Venice, according to the Lonely Planet travel guide, only has 409.

Automobiles

The main artery connecting Pittsburgh to the turnpike (I-76) on the east is I-376, locally known as "Parkway East", while I-279 (referred to as either "Parkway North" or "Parkway West" depending on the particular stretch of road with respect to downtown) connects the city with points west (including the airport) and north. I-579 or the "Crosstown" is a spur off I-279 that alleviates downtown and northshore traffic headed north or south and to events in either the David Lawrence Convention Center or Mellon Arena. A set of local roads are designated as a beltway system (called the Pittsburgh/Allegheny County Belt System) to form six loops centered on downtown with each loop identified by a different color (under the "Pittsburgh Wayfinder System" of road signage, implemented in the summer of 1994). Pittsburgh, because of its radical topography, is a confusing yet rewarding city to navigate.

Mass transit

Local public transportation is coordinated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County, the 14th largest transportation system in the United States, which maintains a bus service, incline railways and a light rail/subway system called "the T", which consists of street cars which go underground as they enter downtown. The T consists of three largely parallel lines, and only serves downtown and the "South Hills" suburbs -- the small "via Allentown", the 20-year-old "via Beechview", and the recently re-opened "via Overbrook." Construction on two small extensions -- one to the Convention Center, and another to the North Shore -- may begin by the end of 2006; the federal government recently agreed to pay for US$55 million of the $363 million construction price.

Bicycling

An aging population, steep hills, and variable weather make biking less popular in Pittsburgh than in some other cities. However, some efforts have been made to incorporate the bicycle into the transportation system. The "Jail Trail," formally called the Eliza Furnace Trail, stretches from downtown (at the county jail) out to the East End of the city, where bike trails can be found along some roads. Additionally, the Port Authority has installed bike racks on some buses. Bicycles are permitted on the Port-Authority-run Incline during off-peak hours. [http://www.bike-pgh.org/ Bike PGH!] serves as the local bicycle advocacy group and is working to make Pittsburgh safe, accessible, and friendly towards bicycle transportation.

Railroads

During the height of Pittsburgh's steel-making days, the city had many passenger and freight rail connections to railroad mainlines. Many of these rail lines still exist, but are used mostly for frieght. Some railroad lines have been converted, with the backing of Mayor Tom Murphy into multi-purpose trails, which have been rather popular. The current railroads in Pittsburgh include:

Class I railroads


- Norfolk Southern (NS)
- CSX
- Amtrak

Shortlines and Regionals


- Pittsburgh, Erie, and Wheeling R.R.
- AVR (Allegany Valley Railroad)

Name and spelling

Pittsburgh is one of the few American cities or towns to be spelled with an h at the end of a burg suffix. The earliest known reference to the settlement was found in a letter sent from General John Forbes to William Pitt dated "Pittsbourgh, 27th November, 1758". Burgh is the Scots language and Scottish English cognate of the English language borough, which has other cognates in words and place names in virtually every Indo-European and Semitic language, as well as others. The first recorded reference using the current spelling is found on a survey map made for the Penn family in 1769. In the city charter, granted on March 18, 1816, the Pittsburgh spelling is used on the original document, but due to an apparent printing error, the Pittsburg spelling is found on official copies of the document printed at the time. On December 23, 1891, a recommendation by the United States Board on Geographic Names to standardize place names was signed into law. The law officially changed the spelling of the city name to Pittsburg, and publications would use this spelling for the next 20 years. However, the change was very unpopular in the city, and several businesses and organizations refused to make the change. Responding to mounting pressure, the United States Geographic Board (a successor to the original United States Board on Geographic Names) reversed the decision on July 19, 1911, and the Pittsburgh spelling was restored. [http://www.clpgh.org/exhibit/apology1.html] It is also believed that Pittsburgh's large German population during this era aided in the famous "H" controversy by not using the "H" in the city's name....since most German cities have "burg" at the end of the names...with no "H" in sight. The confusion and controversy surrounding the aborted spelling change means that both the Pittsburgh and the Pittsburg spelling were commonly encountered around the turn of the 20th Century.

Sister cities

Pittsburgh has fourteen sister cities, as designated by [http://www.sister-cities.org/ Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI)]: Bilbao (Spain), Donets'k (Ukraine), Zagreb (Croatia), Ostrava (Czech Republic), Saitama (Japan), Presov (Slovakia), Fernando de la Mora (Paraguay), Matanzas (Cuba), Omiya (Japan), Saarbrucken (Germany), San Isidro (Nicaragua), Sheffield (England), Sofia (Bulgaria), and Wuhan (China).

See also


- Cities and Towns of Allegheny County
- Jewish history in Pittsburgh
- List of famous people from Pittsburgh
- List of Mayors of Pittsburgh
- List of cities and towns along the Ohio River
- List of fiction set in Pittsburgh
- List of films and television shows shot in Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh English (a.k.a. Pittsburghese)

External links


- [http://www.cityofpittsburgh.net City of Pittsburgh Government]
- [http://pittsburgh.about.com About Pittsburgh - Guide to Pittsburgh & Western PA]
- [http://pittsburgh.indymedia.org Pittsburgh Independent Media Center]
- [http://wikitravel.org/en/article/Pittsburgh Wikitravel Pittsburgh], more on Pittsburgh neighborhoods, things to see and do, dining and drinking spots, getting there and getting around in Pittsburgh
- [http://www.clpgh.org/ Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh]
- [http://www.carnegiemuseums.org/ Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh] includes museums of Art, Natural History, Andy Warhol and the Science Center
- [http://www.ccac.edu/ Community College of Allegheny County]
- [http://www.culturalguide.com/ Pittsburgh Cultural Guide]
- [http://www.pgharts.org/ The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust]
- [http://www.pittsburghkids.org/ Pittsburgh Children's Museum]
- [http://www.ppc.edu/playhouse/ Pittsburgh Playhouse]
- [http://www.pghbridges.com/ Bridges of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County]
- [http://www.pittsburghrotary.org Rotary Club of Pittsburgh] Category:All-America City Category:Allegheny County, Pennsylvania Category:Cities in Pennsylvania Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ja:ピッツバーグ

Pittsburgh

:This article is about the city. For the song, see Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (song). For other places, see Pittsburg. Pittsburg Pittsburgh is a city in Western Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 334,563 (metropolitan area 2,358,695), making it the second-largest city in the state. Pittsburgh, nicknamed The Steel City, was traditionally considered the center of the American steel industry. In recent years the city has turned to technology, especially biotechnology and robotics, leading the Wall Street Journal to dub the city "Roboburgh." The Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute and numerous private companies have made Pittsburgh perhaps the top robotics city outside of Japan, while the University of Pittsburgh boasts one of the top [http://www.medschool.pitt.edu/ medical schools] and one of the best [http://sti.upmc.com/ organ transplant institutes] in the world. The city is also one of the nation's major nonprofit centers, home to major funders such as the Heinz Foundations and thousands of other nonprofit organizations. Pittsburgh also has a booming art scene and a long history of supporting culture and the arts.

History

France was the first European country to send settlers to the forks of the Ohio River. They did so after capturing a small British garrison founded by William Trent. The Virginia colony sent Major George Washington with a scout named Christopher Gist to deliver a message to the French, demanding their withdrawal, and to reconnoiter their positions. The French refused. Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia then sent Washington back in command of a small troop of colonial soldiers, but the French forced him to surrender at a makeshift fort, Fort Necessity. During the French and Indian War (1754-1763), the British colonies captured Fort Duquesne, which sat at the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, at the part of downtown Pittsburgh now known as "The Point". The British built a larger fort on the same site and named it Fort Pitt in honor of the British statesman William Pitt the Elder. Fort Pitt was garrisoned in case of French attack during the French and Indian War, but by the time the improvements were made the war was over. William Pitt the Elder Pittsburgh was located in an area that was claimed by both Virginia and Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh was briefly the seat of government for th