Pittsburgh Regional Transit investing over $150M in multi-year light-rail rehabilitation project

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Regional Transit will be investing more than $150 million in a multi-year light-rail infrastructure rehabilitation project.

PRT announced Thursday the project is to bolster the safety, reliability and longevity of the region’s light-rail system. It aims to combine multiple projects that were initially intended to be completed separately to streamline operations, maximize efficiency and minimize disruptions while enhancing the overall reliability and safety of this critical transit corridor.

The projects include:

• Expanding an ongoing effort to repair the concrete rail foundations in the downtown subway tunnels
• Replacing more than 10,000 feet of light-rail track and four grade crossings in Castle Shannon, Mt. Lebanon, Dormont, Beechview, and inside the Mt. Lebanon and Mt. Washington Transit Tunnels
• Reconstructing Belasco Station in Beechview
• Upgrading Station Square and Dormont Junction light-rail stations
• Rehabilitating the Panhandle Bridge, the 1.2-mile span that takes light rail cars over the Monongahela River near Station Square.

The first project will begin with the closure of the light-rail system between Steel Plaza and Gateway stations in downtown Pittsburgh for about seven weeks immediately following the Pirates home opener on April 5. The projects will then continue consecutively through 2028.

Some will present only minor travel delays to riders while others will close portions of the light rail system and require significant detours, PRT said.

“These projects are an important investment in our region’s future,” said PRT CEO Katharine Kelleman. “By fortifying our light-rail system, we’re building a stronger, safer, and more reliable foundation for years to come.”

Riders wishing to learn more can attend a public meeting on Thursday, March 21 at 6:30 p.m. It’ll be held at St. Catherine of Siena Church on Broadway Avenue.

There will also be an online meeting in April.

The timeline for the projects can be found below:

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