How did the North Shore Connector get started?
Ever since the early 1900s, there have been proposals for various rapid transit links to serve both the Golden Triangle and the North Side. In the 1980s, Port Authority, Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) and the City of Pittsburgh began to study some of these proposals in more detail.
In the late 1990s, the City of Pittsburgh developed the Pittsburgh Downtown Plan. This plan envisioned a revitalized downtown, which included an expanded Central Business District across the Allegheny River to the North Shore. In addition, the plan called for a new rapid transit line linking the Golden Triangle and the North Shore.
From this plan, the City of Pittsburgh and SPC began an extensive investigation of light rail transit (LRT) extensions. In 1997, the City and SPC initiated the North Shore/CBD Transportation Corridor Major Investment Study (MIS). The outcome of the MIS warranted additional study of a rapid transit link between Downtown and the North Shore.
In 1999, Port Authority assumed responsibility for the project when it began the North Shore Connector Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). That study analyzed in further detail the alternatives considered in the MIS as well as 60 additional alternatives generated during the public participation process. A short list of alternatives was developed which underwent detailed analyses of environmental, transportation and community impacts. In addition, capital, operating and maintenance cost estimates and ridership forecasts were developed. Based on the results of these analyses and the input of residents, elected officials, business owners, stakeholders and civic groups in the Golden Triangle and North Shore, the Port Authority Board of Directors voted unanimously to adopt the Gateway LRT Alternative as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) in August 2000.
In January 2001, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) granted Port Authority approval to advance the North Shore Connector into the Preliminary Engineering and Final Environmental Impact Statement (PE/FEIS) phase. During the PE/FEIS, alignment and station locations were refined and more detailed environmental analysis was conducted. In July 2002, FTA issued the Record of Decision indicating that Port Authority had met the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. FTA issued approval for Port Authority to begin Final Design in April 2003.
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How many stations will the North Shore Connector have?
There will be three new stations constructed. The Gateway Subway Station will be reconstructed. Two stations on the North Shore will be constructed: a subway station underneath Tony Dorsett Drive and an aerial station along Allegheny Avenue near the Carnegie Science Center.
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What are the project benefits?
Among the project’s many benefits, the project positions Port Authority to accommodate thousands of people who will live, attend school, work, shop and spend leisure time on the North Shore in coming years while providing a new option for thousands of others who already travel there – all without adding traffic congestion. Also, the North Shore Connector directly links the North Shore, Downtown, Station Square and South Hills employment, business, residential, entertainment and retail centers and enables future expansion of the T.
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Who will the North Shore Connector serve?
It will serve development between the two stadiums (Del Monte and Equitable headquarters, new Marriott Hotel, riverfront park, and proposed amphitheater); Carnegie Science Center (690,000 annual visitors); Andy Warhol Museum; Community College of Allegheny County (7,200 students); National Aviary; Allegheny Center; and other North Shore and North Side attractions.
Ridership associated with Steelers' and Pirates' games is expected to account for about 12% of the 4.2 million annual riders projected to use the North Shore Connector.
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Does the North Shore Connector support North Shore development?
Yes. The North Shore Connector will support and benefit the North Shore’s proposed and existing development. According to Continental Real Estate, the firm chosen to help redevelop the North Shore, there will be $2.3 billion in new construction between the stadiums with approximately 350 apartments and office buildings along with space for retail and service shops. Port Authority closely coordinated the North Shore Connector’s engineering and design with the plans developed by the City of Pittsburgh, Sports & Exhibition Authority, the sports teams and Continental Reality to ensure that the project supports and is compatible with the new and existing development.
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Does the North Shore Connector help link North Shore parking and Downtown Pittsburgh?
Yes. Serving parking on the North Shore with a rapid transit link provides additional options for commuters bound for the Golden Triangle. As downtown parking remains limited, increasing parking options are key goals of the City of Pittsburgh’s Downtown Plan. As such, the North Shore Connector is a vital component to the city’s redevelopment plans. With a new parking garage open on the North Side, implementation of the North Shore Connector is vital to the success of making Pittsburgh attractive to existing residents and businesses while attracting new people and businesses to the area.
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How much will the North Shore Connector cost?
The North Shore Connector will cost $435 million to construct.
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How does the North Shore Connector compare to other transit projects across the county?
Any transportation project that travels through an urban core will be costly because of the presence of existing infrastructure, particularly utilities, and the need to minimize impacts to development and historic resources and infrastructure. Other current major transit investments in urban areas include the following:
| City |
Project |
Capital Costs |
Length
(miles) |
Cost per Mile |
| New York City |
Long Island East Side Access |
$ 7,779 |
3.5 |
$ 2,223 |
| New York City |
Second Avenue Subway |
$ 4,948 |
2.3 |
$ 2,151 |
| Seattle |
University Link |
$ 1,720 |
3.1 |
$ 555 |
| San Francisco |
Central Subway |
$ 1,413 |
1.5 |
$ 942 |
| Pittsburgh |
North Shore Connector |
$ 435 |
1.2 |
$ 363 |
| Source: FTA, Annual Report on New Starts, 2007. |
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How will the North Shore Connector be funded?
Under a document called a Full Funding Grant Agreement, the Federal Transit Administration would commit 60 percent of the capital costs from the Federal New Starts Program. Other funding sources include federal flexible funds (20 percent), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (16.67 percent) and Allegheny County (3.33 percent).
Southwestern Pennsylvania’s share of the new starts funding would otherwise go to other cities looking to fund their transit projects, but is available to Pittsburgh because of the high national ranking of the North Shore Connector project.
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During a budget crisis, why is Port Authority constructing this project?
The North Shore Connector is being advanced with capital funding designated specifically for the project by federal, state and local governments. Public transportation funding regulations prohibit capital dollars from being allocated for operating expenditures. Port Authority is facing a deficit in its operating budget due to continued state shortfalls, but because capital projects typically take more than a decade to plan and complete, we are continuing to pursue infrastructure improvements while we also work to secure dedicated, growing and predictable sources of transit funding for operations.
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Why did Port Authority decide on building tunnels underneath the Allegheny River to extend the T to the North Shore?
Use of existing bridges, construction of new bridges and various tunnel alignments were all analyzed both in the MIS and the DEIS phases of the project. The goal was to select a river crossing which would provide the most effective connection between Downtown Pittsburgh and the North Shore while minimizing impacts to existing and future development.
During the MIS, alignments utilizing the Roberto Clemente, Seventh Street and Ninth Street bridges were evaluated and dismissed due to their indirect routing, community opposition and unacceptable grades. Also, the alignments utilizing these bridges had impacts on traffic, historic bridges and new and existing development. Use of the upper deck of the Fort Wayne Railroad Bridge would have required relocating railroad operations, however an evaluation of the lower deck was warranted.
A detailed analysis of the lower deck of the Fort Wayne Railroad Bridge later revealed that this structure was so deteriorated that it would prove to be too costly to rehabilitate. Engineers also investigated the construction and cost feasibility of a new bridge structure adjacent to the Fort Wayne Railroad Bridge, as well as other river crossings at various locations. As with the MIS, the goals were to provide the most effective link between the Golden Triangle and the North Shore while minimizing impacts to existing and future development. Additionally, the selected route had to enable opportunities for future LRT extensions.
The Port Authority Board of Directors selected the Gateway Alternative – which proposes the construction of the tunnel - as the preferred alternative for several reasons including, community preference, its minimal impacts to existing and future development; cost effectiveness; continuous service between Station Square, downtown and the North Shore; and its extendibility to the east, north and south of the City of Pittsburgh.
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Isn’t it difficult to build tunnels under the Allegheny River?
With any major construction project there will be challenges, however tunneling underneath the Allegheny River is not impossible, nor is it a rarity. While it would be a new endeavor for the Pittsburgh area, there are more than 100 examples of underwater tunnels around the world.
Use of underwater tunnels for transportation purposes dates back to 1843 when a tunnel was built under the Thames River in London. It is still in use today by the London Underground Subway System. The first underwater tunnel built in North America, the St. Clair Tunnel, was completed in 1891 and connects Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario. More recently, Bay Area Rapid Transit built subway tunnels under the San Francisco Bay to accommodate the agency’s light rail transit system. One day after the Loma Prieta Earthquake hit the Bay area in 1989, the tunnels were operational while major portions of the regional highway network experienced long-term damage.
Port Authority will begin construction soon on the North Shore Connector. Project consultant, DMJM Harris, has met with and incorporated input from tunnel construction experts and firms from around the world which all have years of experience in underwater tunneling. From this analysis, the Authority is confident that North Shore Contractors, an international joint venture, is the best contractor to perform the work.
The tunnel under the 25-foot deep Allegheny River will be built approximately 22 feet below the riverbed and will neither obstruct river flow, aquatic life, nor interfere with river traffic.
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Why do we need to extend the T?
The North Shore Connector is a small project in a larger plan to expand public transportation to the Pittsburgh International Airport, the Parkway West/Airport Corridor, the North Hills and other areas within Allegheny County.
Also, the extension will reduce traffic in the Golden Triangle by locating the North Side Station under the new SEA parking garage, making it possible for those destined for Downtown Pittsburgh to use fringe parking on the North Shore. It also gives another transit option for persons with limited mobility and disabilities.
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Why isn’t Port Authority extending the T to Oakland?
A study is currently underway, the Eastern Corridor Transit Study Transitional Analysis, to investigate a possible T extension or another rapid transit connection to Oakland.
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What happened to the Convention Center Line?
A .3-mile light rail line from the Steel Plaza Subway Station to a subway station at the David L/ Lawrence Convention Center, along with the purchase of four light rail vehicles, was deferred from the project due to rising construction costs.
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Will the new line be accessible to riders with disabilities?
Yes. All of the new stations and light rail vehicles will be accessible to everyone wishing to ride the North Shore Connector. Elevators, ramps and station graphics will facilitate access for persons with physical and visual challenges. Port Authority will continue to work closely with the Committee for Accessible Transportation to maximize these components of the project.
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I am a North Side resident who can not park in front of my home during events at the stadiums. Would the North Shore Connector help address our parking problems?
Yes. Unfortunately, many North Side residents must bear the inconvenience of very large numbers of people parking on neighborhood streets during sporting events and concerts. Also, during the periods before and after games and events, severe traffic congestion and delays occur. After an event at Heinz Field, it takes about one hour before traffic levels are back to normal. Enhanced transit access will help to lessen some of these impacts as well as reduce air pollution and energy consumption.
In addition, by linking to park and ride facilities along the T, the North Shore Connector will essentially augment North Shore and North Side parking during events.
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How was the public kept informed regarding the North Shore Connector?
During the DEIS and FEIS (1999 – 2002) phases, Port Authority held 275 meetings with local, state and federal agencies; neighborhood groups; major employers in the corridor; regional, civic, environmental and transportation organizations; property owners; and Community College of Allegheny County, Carnegie Science Center and other stakeholders in the North Shore, Downtown Pittsburgh and along the North Shore. Public input obtained from these meetings was a significant factor in selecting and refining the alignment. General public meetings, open houses and hearings were convened and copies of the DEIS and FEIS documents were made available for review at public libraries and several transportation agency headquarters, including the Port Authority in Downtown Pittsburgh. Newsletters were mailed to thousands of residents, community groups, civic organizations, elected officials, businesses on the North Shore, North Side and Downtown Pittsburgh. Project information was also posted on this website. An e-mail notification list was also created that was used to communicate news, new features on the web site, and information regarding the project newsletters. Comprehensive and frequent communication with the public will continue as the project progresses.
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When will construction begin and end?
Construction is scheduled to begin by Fall 2006 and conclude in 2011.
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Where can I get more information about the North Shore Connector?
The Port Authority Web site, www.portauthority.org, has a variety of information regarding the North Shore Connector. This information includes a project overview, construction information, station renderings and additional frequently asked questions and answers. To receive project newsletters and updates, email dwhipkey@portauthority.org.
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