Uber To Test Self-Driving Cars In Hazelwood
HAZELWOOD (KDKA) - Hazelwood could soon get a boost from Uber.
The ride-sharing company wants to test its self-driving cars at the Almono site.
Uber plans to renovate the old locomotive roundhouse at the former LTV Coke Works temporarily until the site can be prepped for housing offices and other development.
According to Pittsburgh City Councilman Corey O'Connor, Uber's project will last about 3 to 5 years at that location. Once they move out, the site will be used to help develop housing in the area.
"They're going to put some pavement down, but they will remove it. It actually really fits well with the master plan because once they move out it's about time for the residents and the homes that we're going to build to develop about 3 to 5 years down the road. So, the timing is perfect, it's going to create a couple of jobs in the neighborhood and it's actually a worldwide name, which really attracts people to the Hazelwood residency," he said.
O'Connor said he thinks Uber was attracted to the Hazelwood location for a number of reasons.
"They are getting more and more involved in the City of Pittsburgh, and when you look at a great site, that has a great location, that's really close to Downtown, that's really close to the universities and really, a great place for Uber to continue to thrive after this testing is done, Hazelwood's the spot," O'Connor said. "When you see a lot of movement going on in the neighborhood - there's new bakeries, there's new storefronts - that's really the type of business we want to attract there and then, the ripple effect will hopefully come from Uber opening in Hazelwood,"
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