The Pittsburgh area's aging infrastructure is being replaced on an ongoing basis and this week, part of McCandless Township is getting an upgrade that is expected to be disruptive to traffic.

Some of the area's infrastructure is over a century old and when replacement time comes, it can be very disruptive.

That's the case for a gas main project starting today that is an example of a much larger endeavor.

The intersection of McKnight Road and Cumberland Road on the north side of McCandless Crossing moves thousands of cars per day and is the latest crosshairs point for Peoples Gas.

"We're going to be replacing about 700 feet of a line that dates back to 1947 so it's, it's done good service," said Peoples Gas spokesperson Nick Paradise. "It's time, though, to to replace it with with more modern infrastructure."

This project is just an example of others in the area that will be impacting streets and roads throughout the region as Peoples Gas has an ultimate goal of replacing more than 3,000 miles of pipelines.

Crews will begin today excavating Cumberland Road on the Lowe's side of McKnight Road at Guenevere Drive.

"It is going to be single lane, alternating traffic during the work period," Paradise said.

On the other side of McKnight Road, crews will be working past Lancelot Drive to Plateau Drive, again with single lane, alternating traffic.

"We won't be excavating on McKnight Road," Paradise said. "We'll be excavating elsewhere, and then running the gas line across underneath the intersection of McKnight Road over towards Plateau Drive."

In essence, crews will be tunneling the new gas line under McKnight Road and not impacting the rush hours.

Crews will be working on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Those work hours are especially critical with McKnight Elementary, Carson Middle School, and North Allegheny Intermediate High School all located just over the top of the hill along Cumberland Road -- not to mention the impact on McKnight Road traffic.

The overall replacement of the 3,000 miles of pipeline are expected to take place over a period of about 20 years, and Paradise says Peoples are about 10 years into the plan. 

The upgrades being done are needed because the new gas lines will be safer, more reliable, and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.