Trump to ruin Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

He’s coming to town tomorrow to make an appearance at the Shale Insight Conference downtown. It sounds like a rally for the extractive oil bidness.

(How much do you want to bet that his speech will have nothing to do with fracking and everything to do with the witchhuntimpeachingtraitoradamschiffathirdratenancy

pelosioverturningelectiontheysaidicouldntwinsowhat

ifiquidproquoedukrainewhatareyougoingtodoaboutit?

See? I just wrote his deranged word salad speech. No need to come now.)

The local news is reporting that he’s going to shut down downtown during morning rush hour:

Trump will be speaking Wednesday afternoon at the Shale Insight 2019 Conference at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown. 

Street closings near there will come in stages, at midnight Tuesday, at 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. Wednesday.

[…]

Officials said those traveling to the airport should allow extra time. The president’s motorcade is expected to create rolling closures on the Parkway west as he comes and goes. His appearance downtown is expected at 2:30 p.m. and he may depart at 5 p.m., according to police and Public Safety officials.

“I must stress to anyone coming Downtown on Wednesday: Please be patient and please understand that there is going to be traffic congestion,’ said Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich. “We’re trying to eliminate that by the suggestion of schools’ early dismissal and if at all possible, employers to either have employees work at home or have those employees leave early.”

So, to recap, the big orange is going to screw up morning traffic on Wednesday and he’s not even getting here until 2:30pm. Employers are being asked to let everyone work from home if possible. And that’s fine if you work in an office, like I do. But for all the restaurant workers downtown, it could be a day of lost wages.

I’m sure he will make many friends.

Last time he was here shortly after the Tree of Life shooting, his motorcade screwed up evening rush hour so badly that it took me two hours to get home on the East Busway. Visiting poobah politicians use the Busway as their own personal highway in and out of the city. Typically, it’s reserved for commuter buses and emergency vehicles. But what does he care if you’re a working parent who has to pick up your kid at daycare?

This time, the west busway will get the presidential treatment and traffic from the west into the city is already a pain in the ass in the morning.

That’s why the city is asking businesses to let employees work from home Wednesday. Looks like we’ll get some notice about that Tuesday.

In that case, Trump will find Pittsburgh deserted with the wind whipping down the Belgian brick streets, blowing tumbleweed as the servers and cooks bite down on their cigarillos and squint into the noonday sun. By the time he rolls in, Pittsburgh will be a ghost town.

Good.