Pittsburgh 'T' riders set to face delays, disruptions over the next two months
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Commuters and people who ride the 'T' into Pittsburgh are going to be dealing with delays and disruptions over the next two months as Pittsburgh Regional Transit works on a number of different projects.
Starting today and lasting through early February, light rail service into the city will be temporarily ending at First Avenue Station.
Riders will be able to get a shuttle from First Avenue to Steel Plaza, where service will resume with trains heading to Wood Street, Gateway, North Side, and Allegheny Stations.
PRT says those shuttles will be running every 10 minutes.
With the Pittsburgh Steelers set to host the Cincinnati Bengals this Saturday night at Acrisure Stadium, PRT says work will be paused to accommodate the busy day and night on the North Shore.
The work on this portion of the project is expected to wrap up by early February.
Once the first portion of work is completed, the focus of work will shift farther into town and there will be no service between Steel Plaza and Gateway stations from early February through early March.
When this portion of the work is underway, trains from Steel Plaza will head to Penn Station near the Pennsylvanian, where shuttle buses will operate every 10 minutes to connect riders to Gateway Station, where they can get a train to North Side or Allegheny stations.
Susanne Kline of Castle Shannon wasn't thrilled.
"This is ridiculous," Kline said. "A monthly pass is like almost $100, and this is the crap we have to put up with? It's going to be chaotic."
All of this work is part of PRT's long-term project which is working to replace the concrete underneath the light-rail tracks in the tunnels underneath the city.
Rail grinding work in the South Hills
In addition to the work in the city of Pittsburgh impacting several Downtown stations, PRT says that contractors will also be working on the system's rails in the South Hills.
The project is expected to be worked on from January through March from now through 2027 and rails along the tracks will be grinded in several sections, including South Hills Village to Washington Junction, Washington Junction to Willow, Willow to South Hills Junction, and possibly from Washington Junction to Library.
PRT says that the grinding project will help extend the life of the rail, reduce wear and tear on car wheels, improve ride quality, and help "bring the rail to a uniform standard."
Antonella Valforte also travels to the city from Castle Shannon.
"I think they should do it maybe in the springtime like it's really hard right now and it's winter trying to walk," Valforte said.
No stations will be taken out of service while this work is being done, but the single-track operation will be in place, so some riders will need to use platforms on opposite sides of the track at times.
PRT says that anyone with questions about any of the projects, delays, and disruptions are encouraged to contact customer service by phone, on social media, or using the live chat feature on their website.
