The North Shore Connector will extend Port Authority's light rail system, the T, from Downtown Pittsburgh into the city’s thriving North Shore area. As of November 2011, the project's construction is about 98-percent complete and service to the North Shore is scheduled to begin in March 2012.

The 1.2-mile extension supports about 4,000 jobs through the design and construction phases of the project, which have include the boring of twin tunnels under the Allegheny River and the ongoing construction of three new stations in Downtown Pittsburgh and on the North Shore.

The North Shore Connector is financed primarily with the help of competitive federal and state grant dollars specific to this project. In the mid-1990s, regional leaders developed a plan to extend the T north to support a vision for developing the area now known as the North Shore. They asked Port Authority to take over the transit plans.

Today, that vision is being realized. Extending the T not only will offer benefits to commuters but also bring light rail service directly into an area that is now rich in entertainment, educational and employment destinations.

The new line will travel from the former Gateway Station underneath Stanwix Street and the Allegheny River. A new Gateway Station is under construction as are the North Side and Allegheny Stations (a look at the work inside the North Side station is shown above).

The North Shore stations will be a short walk from many key destinations, including:

• Del Monte corporate service center (600 employees)
• Equitable Gas (450 employees)  
• StarKist corporate headquarters (100 employees)
• Several hotels, including SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn and Hyatt Place 
• Carnegie Science Center (700,000 visitors annually)
• PNC Park (1.75 million fans annually)
• Heinz Field (500,000 fans annually, excluding concerts)
• Community College of Allegheny County (7,200 students)
• Rivers Casino
• Stage AE concert venue 
• Children's Museum of Pittsburgh (229,000 visitors annually)
• Andy Warhol Museum (100,000 visitors annually)
• Many other night spots and restaurants