PITTSBURGH (PTTP) – The status of the Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s PRTX Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project has remained elusive to some for a long time. Complaints about construction impacting commute and travel times are not uncommon for Pittsburgh residents and University of Pittsburgh students.
The BRT project has been in the works for a long time, according to Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s Public Relations Director and spokesperson, Adam Brandolph, “It’s a big project that has been going on for more than a decade and we are super excited to just get it off the ground and to finally be in construction and to see work zones … it’s exciting even though it could be a headache for people, it could present some challenges, it’s really exciting.”
Contrary to popular belief, no current PRTX construction is happening in Oakland. In early Sept. 2023, phase 1 construction of the PRTX Bus Rapid Transit project began Downtown. Phase 1 is expected to take 18 months to complete. Once phase 2 (which includes Oakland and Uptown) is approved for construction, it is expected to take between 24 and 30 months. The project is expected to be finished after 2025.
Right now, the busses most impacted are the 61s and 71s, but other routes have been affected by route changes in anticipation of the ongoing construction. Next week, construction continues downtown as PRT lays down the groundwork for 35 traffic signals that will assist in the project. These traffic signals are scheduled to be installed in the spring.
The University Line, which operates between Downtown, Oakland and Uptown, will be the first corridor under the project. The PRTX Bus Rapid Transit Project will reduce travel times and improve safety and convenience. Spokesperson Brandolph stated that “Bike lanes [will be] throughout most of the corridor…instead of bicyclists risking their lives in a whole bunch of traffic, they’re gonna be in dedicated bike lanes. We’re also going to see better connections to rail from the BRT stations. And then all the BRT stations throughout the entire corridor will be upgraded with new amenities, new bus shelters and things like that.” Things like smart traffic lights, which give busses priority in intersections, will also be introduced through this project.
While increased travel and commute times will remain constant for the foreseeable future, once completed, the PRTX Bus Rapid Transit project will have long-lasting benefits for Pittsburgh’s transportation system.