Port Authority Hosting Public Meetings on Updated Bus Rapid Transit Proposal

PUMP Author Active + Engaged Residents, Advocacy, Diverse + Connected Region

The Port Authority is hosting a series of public meetings over the next couple of months to discuss the updated proposal for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

In a press release shared on April 3, 2018, the Port Authority announced the first two meetings in the Mon Valley, which were organized in conjunction with state Rep. Paul Costa, Sen. Jim Brewster, Rep. Austin Davis, and Allgeheny County. The first meeting, on April 12, will focus on routes 61A, 61B, and P3 serving Rankin, Braddock, North Braddock, Edgewood, Swissvale, Regent Square, and Wilkinsburg.

Several additional meetings have been scheduled over the next couple of months. During these public meetings, Port Authority staff will share the updated BRT proposal and provide space for community feedback.

Current meeting schedule (full details here):
  • Rankin Public Meeting – April 12 (evening)
  • Homestead Public Meeting – April 18 (evening)
  • Wilkinsburg Public Meeting – May 1 (evening)
  • East Liberty Public Meeting – May 2 (evening)
  • Squirrel Hill Public Meeting – May 3 (evening)
  • McKeesport Public Meeting – May 10 (evening)
  • Downtown Public Meeting – May 14 (afternoon)
  • Uptown Public Meeting – May 17 (evening)
  • Oakland Public Meeting #1 – May 22 (afternoon)
  • Oakland Public Meeting #2 – May 24 (evening)

You can also provide your feedback in the following ways:

Bus Rapid Transit is a “high-quality, bus-based transit mode that delivers comfortable and cost-effective services via dedicated lanes and fast and frequent operations.”

Trib Live notes that the project aims “to add a more efficient public transit link between Pittsburgh’s Downtown and Oakland neighborhoods.” Since County officials announced a proposed route for this project in May 2017, several groups, including Pittsburghers for Public Transit, “have raised concerns that the plan would eliminate the nonstop bus service on several routes from the Mon Valley to Downtown, and could require those riders to pay to transfer on to Downtown-bound buses.”

This series of public meetings is a response to these concerns. The Port Authority press release notes that “Upon arriving in Pittsburgh – and following discussions with elected leaders and riders, Port Authority CEO Katharine Kelleman asked staff to look at additional service options that would not have as great of an impact on the Mon Valley communities.”