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Click to view Allegheny County's ridiculous detour on a larger map.

Avoid the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge, if at all possible, this weekend.

The Allegheny County public works department is closing the span all day Saturday through Sunday morning, weather permitting, so that crews can complete repairs to the concrete approach ramps on the Duquesne side of the bridge.

From Our Fair City, the posted detour --- shown above --- takes you onto Lysle Boulevard, the Jerome Avenue Bridge and West Fifth Avenue, across the Mansfield Bridge and down onto Route 837 via Lebanon Church, Camp Hollow and Philip Murray roads.

This sounds like the dumbest, longest and most pointless detour ever devised.

Couldn't you just exit the Mansfield Bridge at the Dravosburg side and take Maple and McClure down to Route 837? Am I right, people?

We're sure this detour was devised to accommodate 18-wheelers, and also to allow drivers to make a safe left-turn onto Route 837 at a red-light controlled intersection --- unlike the turn at McClure, which is thrilling in bad ways.

Of course, the other problem is that West Fifth Avenue is down to one lane in each direction.

And traffic on West Fifth was 57 different kinds of fouled-up last weekend. There are reports that babies were born in cars stuck in traffic on West Fifth. Some of those babies were also conceived in those same cars. (Rimshot.)

Anywho, avoid the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge and West Fifth Avenue. That's all I'm saying.

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Summer Concerts Continue: If you haven't been to the city's summer concert series this year, you're missing out. The entertainment --- sponsored by the city and the McKeesport Lions Club --- has veered away from oldies revival groups toward more modern rock and country sounds. It's a welcome change, and it would also be nice to see some younger faces in the crowd.

We do have a correction from last Sunday's concert announcement, however. It turns out that The Smicks no longer perform in Amish attire, despite what they say on their website. We were so mad, we nearly snapped our suspenders.

Otherwise, they rocked. If there had been a roof on the dump, they would have blown it off, and a good time was had by all.

This Sunday, it's Elton John tribute artist Lee Alverson. Bring your big oversized sunglasses and feathered boas. The show starts at 7 p.m. at the bandshell in Renziehausen Park, and it's free.

The refreshments are pretty good, too --- ice cream, funnel cakes and fresh-squeezed lemonade. The Lions Club is also collecting used eyeglasses for the needy and selling handmade straw brooms at all shows.

Joe Bob says check it out, and bring a blanket or lawn chair.

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Calling CQ: Meanwhile, up at White Oak Park, Mon-Yough area ham radio operators will be participating in worldwide "Field Day" activities on Saturday and Sunday.

Events begin at 1 p.m. Saturday and continue through 3 p.m. Sunday up near the water tower off of Muse Lane, near the Westmoreland County border.

During Field Day --- organized nationally by the American Radio Relay League --- amateur radio operators are supposed to contact other operators both locally and around the world using only emergency, portable power supplies.

The exercise is designed to test ham radio operators' preparedness in the event of an emergency that knocks out normal communications. Radios in operation will include vintage sets and the latest digital models.

For more information, call (412) 664-1683.

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Sleep Outside Saturday: Finally, Grandview Grapevine points out that Saturday is the sixth-annual "Great American Backyard Campout," sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation. Better stock up on bug spray and stuff to make s'mores.

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