By Jim Ritchie
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, December 27, 2007

Work on the long-delayed widening of East Carson Street is expected to begin in late 2008 thanks to a $1.2 million federal earmark.

The project would widen the two-lane thoroughfare for about a mile through the developing South Side Works area.

"The East Carson Street widening project has been on the books for a long time, and it was designed and almost ready for bid," said Mabon Lichtenfels, vice president of the Soffer Organization, a developer in the South Side Works project. "The city and PennDOT have gathered enough funds to get the project back on line."

The project would widen the now-congested road from 25th Street to 33rd Street, creating two lanes in each direction and possibly adding more turning lanes at entrances to South Side Works.

The $1.2 million grant is included in the fiscal 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Bill that has been approved by Congress and is awaiting approval from President Bush.

It would complete the financing plan for the project, which includes improvements to sidewalks, street lighting, drainage and creation of street crossings that could accommodate disabled people. A total cost is not yet known but was estimated at roughly $10 million when it was first designed in 1998.

Details of the final project and a work schedule have yet to be released.

Messages seeking comment from the Urban Redevelopment Authority, which is overseeing the project, were not returned.

South Side Works is a mixed development that includes offices, the UPMC Sports Medicine building and practice football fields, housing and retail shops. The URA bought the 123-acre former LTV Steel South Side Works in 1993 after it was shut down.

Part of the project included a $14 million rehabilitation of the Hot Metal Bridge, which opened in 2000.

The design of the widening project would allow more parking in the outer lanes of East Carson Street during off-peak hours. Construction initially was scheduled to be done in 2005.

The Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority plans to replace large water and sewer lines in the Carson Street corridor during the project.

Jim Ritchie can be reached at jritchie@tribweb.com or 412-320-7933.