Businesses remain frustrated as Mon Incline closure continues

PITTSBURGH — It’s been more than a month since the Monongahela Incline closed for the latest round of repairs, and business owners remain frustrated by losses they directly attribute to the shutdown.

“I’ve lost roughly $30,000 dollars and that’s not lost profits, that is true losses, strictly because 40 percent of our revenue is derivative of the incline,” said Brian Gorder, Owner of Gordo’s Tacos and Tequila on Mount Washington.

Gorder said that he and fellow business owners of the “Shiloh Street Shops,” located just around the corner from the incline, are planning to invoice Pittsburgh Regional Transit for weekly losses.

“They need to be held accountable,” he said.

In its last update on the incline, PRT had stated that the public structure would possibly reopen as soon as Friday, Feb. 9.

“This is a public entity that is paid for by taxpayers, and you can’t tell your taxpayers when it’s going to reopen so that they can use it to get to work? Something needs to change,” Gorder said.

Gorder spoke to Channel 11 during a slow lunch hour on Thursday. The business owner told us that he’s had to lay off staff members due to the repeated closures.

Channel 11 told you when the incline closed for repairs last August, after cars became stuck. Prior to that, from August 2022 through March 2023, the incline was out of service for a multi-million dollar renovation.

“For $8 million, the thing should be bulletproof. It should be indestructible. That’s a lot of money,” he said.

Gorder said he’d be surprised if the incline reopens on Friday, but he certainly hopes it will.

“It’s going to be a beautiful weekend and there’s no reason that it shouldn’t open,” he said. “We need the incline to open and remain open.”

Channel 11 further asked PRT what the total cost has been for the repeated closures, and if this latest fix is suspected to prevent shutdowns in the near future.

A news release from PRT said that the incline will reopen Friday pending an inspection.

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