- February 26th, 2024
- 0 Comments
When Gov. Josh Shapiro unveiled his proposed budget for Pennsylvania earlier this week, Pittsburgh Regional Transit officials got some welcome news — the agency could receive roughly $40 million in additional funding this year.
That money may not show up. Lawmakers in Harrisburg will spend the coming weeks dissecting Mr. Shapiro’s budget and ultimately determining if the governor’s investments in public transportation — including for PRT — are approved.
If the proposed funding remains untouched, PRT officials and public transit advocates said it should be used to keep intact the system — one that serves over 100,000 riders every day.
Like other transit agencies across the country, PRT has navigated the challenges of major losses of ridership due to the coronavirus pandemic, and changing or cutting service as the organization tries to train and hire more bus operators. PRT officials announced in recent months that service would be cut by about 1.5% beginning Feb. 18, due to a shortage of bus drivers. They are also starting to look at a redesign of bus routes to reflect the changing demographics of the Pittsburgh region and where service is most needed.
Read more from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Steve Bohnel here or the Tribune Review's Ryan Deto here.
Federal transportation funding is spurring major projects around the country, including in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. An article by Sydney Carruth in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette runs down what residents can expect in 2024:
In transit news, “Pittsburgh Regional Transit took the first steps toward a years-long Bus Line Redesign Project that will continue into the new year. “The department said many of its bus lines don’t reflect how riders travel post pandemic. The study will address areas of the county not currently served by bus lines and update existing routes to directly link more neighborhoods together, expanding service out of Downtown.”
PennDOT also received federal grant funding to improve Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian route and rail along the Keystone West Corridor.” However, a bus operator shortage could lead to service cuts on local bus lines.
Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh International Airport expanded its routes in 2023 and will continue to do so in 2024, while “PennDOT will receive $143.6 million in 2024 for rail improvements designed to allow Amtrak to add a second daily passenger train to the Pennsylvanian route.” Other rail projects will assess the feasibility of expanding rail lines to other Ohio cities and Chicago.
Construction activities continue on Pittsburgh Regional Transit's Bus Rapid Transit project (PRTX)—aka the University Line—with most recent updates including:
- Reopening of Sixth Avenue between Smithfield and William Penn Place this week following the completion of new water and drainage infrastructure in the area. Bus routes P1, P68, and P71 will return to their regular routes, with construction continuing in this area in the spring.
- Traffic signal foundation work at Fifth & Ross and Fifth & Grant will not be performed between February 26 and March 1, with electrical work in this area continuing March 4—weekdays between 9am-3pm—followed by the electrical subcontractor installing traffic signals and poles on top of the foundations in the spring.
- Temporary changes to bus route detours for 61A, 61B, 61C, and 71B last week have been reset with buses returning to regular routing after last week's temporary restriction along Sixth Avenue between Wood & Liberty
About the project:
PRTX is Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s bus rapid transit service. Communities with PRTX service can expect more reliable, on-time service thanks to transit-only travel lanes and intersection and signal improvements. The University Line is Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s first corridor under PRTX, and will operate between Downtown, Uptown and Oakland with bus service from the corridor extending into the east end and beyond. The University Line will use Fifth and Forbes Avenues in Uptown and Oakland and Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Downtown. Five bus routes will operate on this corridor once construction is complete – these routes are currently the 61A, 61B, 61D, 71B, and P3.
PRT has issued weekly updates on their PRT BRT Newshub website, so follow along by visiting that site here.
Source: Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Planetizen, Pittsburgh Regional Transit
