Pittsburgh awarded $149.9 million grant for new BRT line

Credit: Pittsburgh Regional Transit

The U.S. Department of Transportation‘s (USDOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced that it has awarded a $149.9 million construction grant to Pittsburgh Regional Transit for the Downtown-Uptown-Oakland bus rapid transit (BRT) line. The project, funded by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to provide fast and convenient transit along the congested corridor from Downtown Pittsburgh to Oakland.

“Americans rely on public transit every day to get to work, go to school and connect with loved ones,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “The Biden Administration’s investment in the new Downtown-Uptown-Oakland bus rapid transit line will help commuters in Pittsburgh get where they’re going quickly and safely – while reducing congestion and pollution.”

The BRT project includes dedicated bus-only lanes, traffic lights that prioritise bus movement and streamlined boarding processes for improved convenience. Pedestrian safety will be enhanced through the addition of bike lanes and pedestrian infrastructure. With buses arriving every five minutes during peak periods for 22 hours a day, the BRT line will provide efficient transportation options to the Hill District, Oakland and Central Downtown, benefiting over 40,000 daily riders.

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“The Downtown-Uptown-Oakland BRT line will improve transit speed and reliability on one of the highest transit ridership corridors in Pittsburgh,” said FTA Deputy Administrator Veronica Vanterpool. “We are pleased to support this project that will better connect communities to jobs and education.”

FTA is contributing $149.9 million to the 7.1-mile Downtown-Uptown-Oakland BRT, estimated to cost $291 million. The funding comes from FTA’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) programme, which supports transformative transit projects.

The new BRT line will provide access to approximately 232,000 jobs and will connect prominent educational institutions such as the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, Carnegie Mellon University, as well as various hospitals, arenas and cultural venues. Future development plans for the Uptown-Oakland neighbourhoods, supported by an FTA Transit Oriented Development planning grant, will further enhance the area’s connectivity and sustainability.