'Hopefully, they got it right this time': Monongahela Incline riders share excitement, skepticism with incline reopening
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Monongahela Incline reopened Saturday and welcomed passengers, more than one month after it closed due to issues with a new control system.
In the past year, closures have become all too common. While folks are excited it's back up and running, they're not confident it will last.
Dan Rodgers got to ride the Mon Incline to work again Saturday morning after five weeks of taking a shuttle from Mount Washington to downtown Pittsburgh while it was shut down.
"It's very inconvenient. It seems like every other month it breaks down," Rodgers said.
It closed on Jan. 2 for the fifth time in two months after the cars would not slow down or stop in the correct spots. Pittsburgh Regional Transit announced Friday it would reopen after passing an inspection by the state.
Over at Eggs & Moore, Amy Rethage is happy to see more foot traffic.
"We get a lot of business that comes from town like the Sheraton. They'll tell people to come on, ride the incline, come up and see us," Rethage said.
They only moved to Shiloh Street on Mount Washington a year ago, from Arlington Avenue, specifically for the location, with that beautiful skyline view.
"The incline draws people. It's an event. It's something to do in Pittsburgh," Rethage said.
However, whenever the Mon closes, they slow down.
"In January, we just did really have a lot of days where we were sending people home early, which we never had before," Rethage said.
This latest closure came 10 months after crews finished an $8.2 million renovation project. Rethage said ever since the incline hasn't been the same.
"They haven't had a good record since it's been revamped, and I don't know what happened to make it so unreliable," Rethage said. "I've lived in Pittsburgh my whole life. I can remember taking that incline to work when I worked in town. Never were there issues."
At the same time, the Duquesne Incline, just one mile up the road, isn't facing these same maintenance issues and shutdowns. PRT owns both but hasn't operated the Duquesne Incline since the mid-60s. KDKA-TV reached out to PRT about the discrepancy between the two inclines.
"I can promise you that the Mon Incline still requires an operator for every trip," a spokesperson said.
Now, Rethage has one question.
"Okay, it's open today, and woohoo. For how long?" Rethage said.
However, she, like Rodgers, is just praying something changes.
"They should be able to figure out a way to keep it going and keep it open," Rethage said.
"I hope it stays open for the summer and a while. Hopefully, they got it right this time," Rodgers said.
On the financial side, according to the PRT, the repair work from this closure is covered under the rehabilitation contract; it won't cost taxpayers any additional money.