The well-known “bathtub” section of the Parkway East opened again on Friday after the rivers in Pittsburgh reached their highest levels in almost 20 years.
The frequently flooded part of Interstate 376 between Grant Street and the Fort Pitt Bridge in Downtown Pittsburgh became accessible again around noon on Friday.
Lee Hendricks, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, mentioned on Friday that the Pittsburgh area experienced 72 hours of intense precipitation, which brought more rain in three days than the entire month of March.
According to Hendricks, Pittsburgh’s rivers rose to 28.8 feet on early Thursday morning, surpassing the 28.5-foot mark for the National Weather Service to label it as “major flooding.” The bathtub is prone to flooding at 25 feet, he added. The Monongahela Wharf parking area, currently closed, floods at 18 feet.
Point State Park also encountered significant flooding, leading to the closure of the Allegheny and Mon wharves and the fountain plaza until further notice, as announced by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which manages the park.
Hendricks stated that the last time Pittsburgh witnessed river flooding of this magnitude was in January 2005.
Data from the National Weather Service indicates a crest of 28.43 feet at that time. In September 2004, there was a river crest of 31 feet.
Hendricks mentioned that Pittsburgh has experienced fewer major floods in recent years, partially attributed to climate change and also to reservoirs that regulate the inflow of water during heavy rainfall.
Hendricks suggested that if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had not managed the water flow through reservoirs during the recent flooding, Pittsburgh could have seen the rivers rise to about 40 feet.
At that level, PNC Park would be flooded, the water would reach the floor of the Rivers Casino, and the power station on Brunot Island in the Ohio River would be submerged, according to Hendricks.
Hendricks reported that river levels are gradually returning to normal, although they will remain slightly higher than usual until sometime next week.
Hendricks stated that any additional rainfall on Friday would not have any impact on the flooding in the region.
PennDOT reported on Friday morning that several Allegheny County roads were closed or restricted due to flooding and slides.
- Route 837 between the McKeesport Duquesne Bridge in Duquesne and McClure Street in Dravosburg
- Route 837 between New England Road in West Mifflin and Curry Hollow Road in Dravosburg
- Saxoburg Boulevard south of Berryhill Road in O’Hara Township
- Bunola River Road between River Hill Road and Elkhorn Road in Elizabeth Township
- Church Hollow Road between Raccoon Run Road and Elkhorn Road in Forward Township
- Ella Hollow Road between Guffey Road and Rainbow Run Road in Forward Township
- Walton Road between Dale Road and Riverview Road in Jefferson Hills
- University Boulevard at Stoops Ferry Road in Moon Township
