Four New Work Locations Being Added to University Line Construction

Pittsburgh Regional Transit will add four new work locations in downtown Pittsburgh next week, the transit agency announced today.

Last winter, the PRT contractor relocated water and drainage infrastructure at most of the future PRTX station locations. Currently, the contractors are installing foundations and poles for traffic signals and pedestrian lighting, restoring the roadway, sidewalks, and curbs. Later this summer, bus shelters, accessible ramps, traffic signals and lighting will be installed.

On May 28, PRT’s contractor will establish two additional work sites. The first one is on Sixth Avenue between Smithfield Street and William Penn Place. The second one is on Fifth Avenue between Liberty Avenue and Market Street opposite the current work site.

Traffic on Sixth Avenue between Smithfield Street and William Penn Place will be maintained with one travel lane in each direction (see image below). This single-lane operation will remain in effect 24/7 until late fall.Mellon Square Garage will be accessible to vehicles and pedestrians. The sidewalk will remain open opposite the work site.

Additionally, construction activities on Fifth Avenue between Liberty Avenue and Market Street will move to the opposite side of the street adjacent to Triangle Park.

To accommodate this new work area, vehicle traffic will be shifted to the opposite side of Fifth Avenue between Liberty Avenue and Market (see image below). The construction detour will remain in effect 24/7 until work is finished late this fall. The sidewalk will remain open opposite the work site.

On May 31, the contractor will establish two more work sites along Fifth Avenue: one between Smithfield and Grant streets, and the other between Sixth Avenue and Ross Street.

To accommodate the new work area, traffic on Fifth Avenue will be reduced to one travel lane in each direction between Smithfield and Grant streets (see image below). This single-lane operation will remain in effect 24/7 until late fall. The sidewalk will remain open on Fifth Avenue opposite the work site.

Additionally, traffic on Fifth Avenue will be reduced to one travel lane in each direction between Ross Street and Sixth Avenue (see image below). This single-lane operation will remain in effect 24/7 until late fall. The sidewalk will remain open opposite the work site.

Current construction locations for the University Line include:

Construction on the University Line bus rapid transit project began in September 2023. The University Line will feature dedicated bus lanes and enhanced transit amenities, connecting downtown Pittsburgh to Oakland, Pennsylvania’s second- and third-largest economic centers. The $291 million project is expected to be operational by 2027.