Pittsburgh Regional Transit officials held a ground-breaking ceremony today for Phase I of the Downtown-Uptown-Oakland Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.
PRT CEO Katharine Kelleman says the $291 million project will bring 24 new stations, increased transit reliability and increased pedestrian bicyclist safety to this busy transit corridor.
“BRT will enhance the safety of the corridor by improving crosswalks, sidewalks, and adding protected lanes, removing issues in Oakland where busses travel against four lanes of traffic. BRT will improve reliability so there won’t be multiple busses to the same place at the same time, stacked behind one another.”
The project has been back for years by Allegheny County Exec. Rich Fitzgerald and believes along with many others that this reliable service will bring an economic boom to the areas.
Congressman Conor Lamb has said that this renovation will allow more people to be able to access a big job market in the Oakland area, which wasn't as easily accessible before.
Construction is expected to begin in the first half of 2023 on the Downtown loop.
There were planned branches near Highland Park and Greenfield, but those have been cut for now.
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