Port Authority Project To Delay, Detour 15,000 Daily Riders

PITTSBURGH, PA - Port Authority of Allegheny County's plans to replace rail track and concrete in and around the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel will create major headaches for 15,000 weekday transit riders for the next month.

The replacement of 480 feet of light rail track and concrete between the tunnel and the South Hills Junction is expected to significantly impact bus and light rail service from July 26 through Aug. 22. The construction will affect approximately 10,000 weekday and 5,000 weekend light rail riders and 5,000 weekday and 2,000 weekend bus riders.

Here's what riders can expect:

LIGHT RAIL SERVICE

• INBOUND

All inbound rail service will operate via the tracks that run through the city's Allentown neighborhood. Inbound rail cars will be unable to serve Station Square.

Inbound passengers heading to Station Square from the south should continue toward downtown on an inbound rail car, disembark at First Avenue and take an outbound rail car to Station Square.

Inbound passengers at Station Square will board a rail shuttle on the inbound platform during Phase 1 (July 26-Aug. 11) and on the outbound platform during Phase 2 (Aug. 12-22).

• OUTBOUND

Outbound rail cars will use the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel from the start of service until 11 p.m. After 11 p.m., outbound rail cars will use the tracks that run through the city's Allentown neighborhood and will be unable to serve Station Square. During this time, a rail shuttle will operate between Station Square and First Avenue Station.

Customers heading outbound from Station Square after 11 p.m. should take the rail shuttle inbound toward downtown (boarding at Station Square on the inbound platform during Phase 1 and on the outbound platform during Phase 2) to First Avenue Station and then board any
outbound rail car.

BUS SERVICE

Buses that regularly use the South Busway (Routes 39, 40, 41, 44, Y1, Y45, Y46, Y47 and Y49) will not use the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel.

• INBOUND

The last inbound stop before buses are detoured will be South Busway at Palm Garden.

Inbound buses will be unable to serve the following stops: South Busway at South Hills Junction; Station Square Station at South Busway Slip Ramp; East Carson at Smithfield. Additionally, Route 44 will be unable to serve the stop at South Busway at Haberman Ramp Step (at South
Hills Junction).

Port Authority will establish a stop at Wabash Tunnel Ramp at the Monongahela Incline (West Carson Street).

• OUTBOUND

The last outbound stop before vehicles are detoured will be East Carson Street at Station Square Station.

Outbound buses will be unable to serve the South Busway at South Hills Junction stop. Port Authority will establish a stop at Warrington opposite Boggston (at the top of sidewalk that comes up from South Hills Junction).

Other relevant information:

• The Wabash Tunnel will remain inbound only for the duration of the project.

• Port Authority has established a dedicated Customer Service Construction Information Line that can be reached at 412-566-5544. This line will be staffed by a Customer Service representativeweekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends.