Expressway’s opening means shorter driving time for Elco mayor
ELCO – The decision of whether to use the newly expanded Route 43 will be a choice of saving time or saving money for Elco Mayor Ron Tuman. Tuman has been a supporter of the Mon/Fayette Expressway since the groundbreaking for the Route 40-to-Interstate-70 section in the 1980s.
As the chief of staff for Wing One of the Civil Air Patrol (Air Force Auxiliary), Tuman often drives to the Allegheny County Airport in West Mifflin.
“It’s 26 miles from my house, but to get there, meandering through Monongahela along the river, it takes some time to get there. I’ve been looking forward to shooting down there in 15 minutes,” Tuman said.
Tuman has been watching the progress of the expressway construction over the years, both from the ground and from the air.
“As you fly over, you could see all these white areas of cement. They looked like landing strips. Then you’d see a big gap for a quarter mile or so,” Tuman said. “I am down in the West Mifflin area quite often, and I’ve watched them build the bridges down in Large. It’s quite a magnificent structure.”
Tuman said he will most likely give the new road a try, though with the increase in toll at the Elco interchange from 50 to 75 cents, he said he may go back to going through Speers to get to Interstate 70 before getting on the new section of the expressway.
“It’s one of the things that’s irked us in Elco. You go down the ramp and go right out onto I-70, and you have to pay 50 cents. Now it’s going to be 75,” Tuman said.
The Elco ramp to Route 43 north is only a quarter-mile from the toll booth. Tuman said he’d have to see how high gas prices go before deciding which route he’ll take to get to the new expressway section.
The $1 fare from the interstate to Route 51 in Large, Allegheny County, is a bargain, in comparison, Tuman said, though he’s a bit concerned about what the full price will be once the road is completed all the way to Pittsburgh.