▁at ▁a ▁final ▁cost ▁of ▁$ 1 2   mill ion . ▁ ▁As ▁traffic ▁on ▁bou lev ard ▁began ▁to ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁many ▁plans ▁were ▁introduced ▁to ▁improve ▁the ▁highway . ▁Ide as ▁r anged ▁from ▁w iden ing ▁the ▁highway ▁to ▁building ▁a ▁new ▁express way ▁to ▁current ▁day ▁I - 7 9 . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁a ▁southern ▁extension ▁of ▁the ▁bou lev ard ▁to ▁Pitts burgh ' s ▁North ▁Side ▁was ▁discussed ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁the ▁highway ▁opened ▁from ▁the ▁Fort ▁Du ques ne ▁Bridge ▁to ▁R idge ▁Avenue ▁and ▁the ▁Mc Ke es ▁Ro cks ▁Bridge ▁to ▁Be aver ▁Avenue ▁and ▁Ch ate au ▁Street . ▁Many ▁of ▁these ▁propos als ▁would ▁fall ▁to ▁the ▁way side ▁because ▁of ▁lack ▁of ▁fund ing ▁and ▁interest ▁or ▁community ▁protest . ▁The ▁missing ▁gap ▁which ▁includes ▁a ▁connection ▁to ▁the ▁West ▁End ▁Bridge ▁did ▁not ▁open ▁until ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁the ▁Ohio ▁River ▁Bou lev ard ▁section ▁of ▁PA   6 5 ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁dead ly ▁trail . ▁By ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 7 0 s , ▁the ▁bou lev ard ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁Pitts burgh ' s ▁most ▁dangerous ▁roads . ▁From ▁November ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁to ▁March ▁ 1 9 8 1