Federal, state, Allegheny County, and transportation officials gathered in Downtown Pittsburgh Wednesday to break ground on the long-awaited Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, project.
“Modern cities demand world-class transit,” said Katharine Kelleman, CEO of Pittsburgh Regional Transit. “Projects like this transform how people think about mobility in Pittsburgh and how we get around.”
Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has championed the project for years and described it as “transformational” for the region, since it will connect Pennsylvania’s second and third largest economic centers. Other speakers agreed, saying that the BRT’s regular, reliable service will be an economic boon.
“I want people to know … the suburbs and even the outlying counties: this project is for you, too,” said Democratic Congressman Conor Lamb, who serves on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He said people might not have a ride to Oakland, where many jobs are, but can get into Downtown. With BRT better connecting the two, “all of a sudden [it] doubles the job market for a young person from Beaver County.”
“This project represents a significant investment in our community, improving the lives of thousands of riders traveling to and from several of our most dense and vibrant neighborhoods,” Kelleman said.
However, BRT will serve fewer riders than originally envisioned. Planned branches toward Highland Park and Greenfield have been cut for now.
The Federal Transit Administration is a major funder of the project, and officials there want to be sure that what they fund will be successful, said David Huffaker, PRT’s chief development officer.
“To have it be one large construction contract they feared was going to be overly risky,” he said.
The project now will only run from Oakland to Downtown, and construction will be broken into smaller chunks. Huffaker said PRT hopes to begin work on the downtown loop early in 2023.
The $290 million price tag covers the Downtown through Oakland segments, as well as all of the sidewalks, bike lanes, and other amenities associated with the work. Huffaker said success in this first phase puts PRT in a good place for future federal funding.
