Final restoration at Steel Plaza Station nearly complete
November 1, 2024
.jpg "New sidewalk and accessible ramps recently placed at Sixth Avenue and Ross Street")
New asphalt roadway was placed on Sixth Avenue between Grant and Ross Streets today. Additionally, installation of new sidewalk and accessible ramps is nearly complete.
The PRT contractor is building Steel Plaza Station for the PRTX the University Line.
The reconfiguration of traffic on Sixth Avenue will begin in front of Steel Plaza Station next week. The rest of Sixth Avenue between Grant Street and Liberty Avenue will be completed at a later date. The existing roadway paint will be removed, and new traffic lines will align with new traffic signals.
Later this year, the size of the fence will be reduced allowing pedestrians to use the sidewalk on both sides of the street.
When construction for the University Line is complete, Steel Plaza Station will have two 60-foot bus shelters with ADA compliant loading zones. Station amenities will include an emergency phone, security camera(s), seating, lighting, and real-time arrival signs.
Traffic is being maintained in both directions adjacent to the work zone. The sidewalk remains open across from the work site.
In Spring of 2025, red paint will be placed creating a bus only lane outbound on Sixth Avenue.
.jpg "New roadway paint recently placed on Fifth Avenue")
New Temporary Roadway Paint Completed on Fifth Avenue
Earlier this week, PRT’s contractor completed temporary line striping on Fifth Avenue between Grant Street and Liberty Avenue. New roadway paint includes new crosswalks, stop bars, and hatched lines to indicate no parking zones.
The new traffic lines were placed to accommodate areas with expanded sidewalks and align with recently installed traffic signals.
Fifth Avenue between Grant Street and Liberty Avenue now has one inbound travel lane and two outbound travel lanes. Cars parked illegally in the travel lane, like the one shown above will be towed. Valet zones for restaurants on Fifth Avenue have been relocated. There is one designated parking zone for hotel busses.
New roadway configuration for Sixth Avenue will begin next week.
In spring of 2025, red paint will be placed, creating a bus-only lane inbound on Fifth Avenue and outbound on Sixth Avenue. Cars will travel inbound on Sixth Avenue and outbound on Fifth Avenue.
.jpg "New traffic signals recently activated at Fifth Avenue and Wood Street")
Traffic Signal Activation to Continue on Sixth Avenue
PRT’s contractor is activating 35 new traffic signals on Fifth and Sixth in Downtown Pittsburgh. They started this process at Fifth Avenue and Liberty Avenue and are working their way backwards through the downtown loop. Currently, they’re at Sixth Avenue and Diamond Street and working their way towards Sixth and Liberty avenues.
Contractors will work on one intersection at a time. Each of them is expected to take one or two days to complete. Most work will be completed in a parking or travel lane and should have minimal impact to vehicular traffic.
Traffic signals will be out of service while work is performed, and safety personnel will direct traffic.
Over the next few weeks, electrical crews will move backwards throughout the downtown loop as follows:
- Sixth Avenue and Diamond Street
- Sixth Avenue and Centre Avenue
- Sixth Avenue and Ross Street
- Sixth Avenue and Ross Street
- Sixth Avenue and Grant Street
- Sixth Avenue and William Penn Place
- Sixth Avenue and Smithfield Street
- Sixth Avenue and Wood Street
- Sixth Avenue and Liberty Avenue
- Sixth Avenue and Seventh Street
The old signals and poles will be removed later this fall.
Pedestrian access will always be maintained; however, some work may require the use of the adjacent parking/travel lane.
Construction Locations for the University Line
PRT’s contractor has seven major work zones in downtown Pittsburgh. Five of the locations will be PRTX stations (highlighted in green) and the other two locations are safety improvement zones (highlighted in blue).
When construction for the University Line is complete, there will be five new PRTX stations:
1. Ross Street Station
2. William Penn Place Station
3. Market Square Station
4. Wood Street Station
5. Steel Plaza Station
In addition to the five stations, there are two safety improvement sites at:
6. Sixth Avenue (between Fifth Avenue and Diamond Street)
7. Sixth Avenue (between Smithfield Street and William Penn Pace)
Both locations will have new expanded sidewalks with granite curbs and accessible ramps improving safety and accessibility along the corridor.
Thank you for your continued support of this project.
To learn more about each of the current construction locations, please visit our Construction Locations web page.For questions or concerns, please contact brt@rideprt.org or 412-442-2000.