Major light rail project impacting Downtown Pittsburgh underway
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A major project on Pittsburgh's light-rail service in Downtown Pittsburgh is underway.
Regular service between Steel Plaza and Gateway is expected to be interrupted and detoured for approximately two months.
Shortly after the Pirates' home opener on Friday ended, detours and service disruptions were put into place.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit says that the concrete underneath the tracks between Steel Plaza and Gateway stations is being replaced, and as a result, service between those two stations is being interrupted and detoured around.
Riders coming from the South Hills and from First Avenue will still be able to get to Steel Plaza, but instead of going to Wood Street, trains from there will be redirected to the old Penn Station stop that is no longer in regular service.
Wood Street Station will be closed for the duration of this project.
PRT says that free shuttle buses will be on hand to take riders from Penn Station down Liberty Avenue to Gateway Station.
From there, riders can get back on a train to connect to North Side or Allegheny stations.
Riders headed into the city from the North Side will be able to get a shuttle bus at Gateway that will take them to Penn Station, where they can get on a train back towards Steel Plaza, First Avenue, and the South Hills.
PRT says that the work is expected to be completed and normal service should resume on May 31.
This project is the first of many projects over the next several years that PRT says will help with the safety, reliability, and longevity of the light-rail service and infrastructure for the region.
"All of the different projects have slightly different detours," said Adam Brandolph, deputy chief communications officer for PRT. "We are doing it little pieces at a time. First in order not to confuse riders, but to make sure people know where they are going and how to get around."
"T" riders know they'll have to be ready for their trips to take a little longer.
"I'm just going to have to leave extra early and probably have to take more Lyfts because I get out too late already," Nicole Werner said.
Brandolph urges riders to call the customer service line for any questions on getting around.
"They are very well versed in all of the different phases of construction from now until 2028," Brandolph said.
