PRT warns of additional delays, detours this week as two long-term construction projects overlap
People who ride the 'T' in and out of Pittsburgh should be prepared for additional delays and detours this week as Pittsburgh Regional Transit says there will be overlap between two different long-term construction projects.
Over the weekend, the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel was shut down so that crews can replace the tracks, fix the roadway, and repair the overhead electric lines. The work is expected to last for around eight months.
While the tunnel is closed, light-rail trains will be detoured through the city's Allentown neighborhood by traveling along Warrington Avenue and Arlington Avenue and across the Panhandle Bridge to First Avenue Station.
PRT says that during the expected eight-month closure, a Subway Local route will be operating between Allegheny Station on the North Side and Station Square, which will now be included in the Free Fare Zone until the tunnel project is completed.
While the tunnel project is underway, PRT's Silver Line will only be operating between Library and Washington Junction. Trains on the Red Line and Blue Line will be unaffected aside from the detour around the tunnel.
One project wrapping up while another is just getting started
The kicking off of the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel project comes as PRT's long-term project working to replace the concrete underneath the rail tracks in Downtown Pittsburgh is coming to a close.
That project has been underway dating back to 2022 and is nearly complete, but PRT says the two projects will overlap this week, leading to additional delays and detours for riders.
Trains traveling into the city will stop at First Avenue, Steel Plaza, and then will travel to Penn Station, where a rail shuttle will take riders to Gateway. From there, they can continue onto North Side and Allegheny stations.
Riders wishing to leave the city can board a rail shuttle at Gateway station that will take them to Penn Station, where they can board a train that will head to the South Hills.
PRT says the concrete work in the city "is expected to be complete on or around Friday, February 28."