Taking public transportation to see the Super Bowl XL Champions this season will be a winning combination, as Port Authority will offer Steeler fans more frequent service and more affordable fares to Heinz Field beginning Saturday, August 19, 2006 when the Steelers host the Minnesota Vikings in an 8 p.m. preseason game.
Port Authority will provide extra service to Steelers’ home games on several new bus routes this season, offering more efficient service from suburban communities and for fans parking in or near Downtown Pittsburgh. Together with enhanced regular service along the Martin Luther King, Jr. East Busway, West Busway and T, the Steelers Regional Bus Routes will offer trips from Port Authority park and ride lots comprising 9,000 spaces. Also, fares on the regional routes have been reduced from $3.50 to $1.75 each way in Zone 1 and from $4.50 to $2.25 each way in Zone 2.
All regional routes will operate four trips from their respective park and ride lots beginning two hours and 30 minutes before kickoff, with the first bus arriving 90 minutes before the start of the game. These trips will operate every 15 to 20 minutes and provide service at all regular posted stops along each route.
- Fans from northern Allegheny County communities can use the 13S Perrysville Park and Ride route. This express route replaces the 98N Ross Park and Ride and will make four trips via the I-279 HOV lane to Heinz Field from the Perrysville Park and Ride Lot (480 spaces).
- Fans from southern Allegheny County communities can use the 51S Large and Century III Park and Ride route, which operates via the South Side and Station Square. The 51S replaces the 99B Century III Mall-Large Park and Ride route. The new route will serve the Large Park and Ride (440 spaces) and Century III Mall Park and Ride (160), and provide service from the South Side Works Parking Garage at 27th and Carson streets.
- Fans from eastern Allegheny County communities can use the 68S Monroeville Mall Park and Ride route, which operates via the East Busway. This route replaces the 99R Monroeville-East Busway route and provides service to fans from the Monroeville Mall Park and Ride (140 spaces) and Wilkinsburg Park and Ride (748).
- Fans from western Allegheny County communities can use the 28S University Boulevard Park and Ride route, which replaces the 99K West Busway-Moon route. The 28S will provide service from the University Boulevard Park and Ride (600 spaces), Bell Avenue Park and Ride (34), Idlewood (33), Crafton Park and Ride (106) and Sheraden Park and Ride (177).
Four trips will return to each respective lot beginning 20 minutes after the end of the game, with the last trip departing 45 minutes after the completion of the forth quarter. All regional routes will depart Heinz Field from the bus stop on West General Robinson Street between Art Rooney Avenue and Tony Dorsett Drive.
In addition to Port Authority’s route 98D Strip District, the 98F First Avenue route will operate from the First Avenue Parking Garage and T Station via Grant Street to Heinz Field. The 98D and 98F Heinz Field Shuttles will operate from the Strip District and Downtown, respectively, beginning two hours and 30 minutes prior to kickoff. They will begin operating from Heinz Field during the forth quarter until one hour after the completion of the game.
Port Authority will provide extra light rail service on the T via routes 42S South Hills Village via Beechview and 47L Library via Overbrook. These rail routes will provide frequent service from several park and ride lots along the T, including the 2,200-space South Hills Village Parking Garage (42S route only). Fans without monthly parking passes will pay only $2 to use the garage.
New this season, fans will be able to take advantage of frequent service via the East and West busways. Beginning two hours prior to kickoff, the EBA East Busway-All Stops, EBS East Busway Short, 100 West Busway-All Stops and 33X West Busway-All Stops To Downtown will provide service from all regular stops and busway park and ride lots.
Children aged 6-11 and people with disabilities pay half fare on all Steelers routes. Senior citizens and children five and under ride free. All pre-paid fare instruments, including annual, monthly or weekly passes and valid college identification cards, are accepted as payment. Pass values are $1.75 each way for Zone 1 and $2.25 each way for Zone 2. Cash fare will also be accepted on all routes.
Riders wishing additional routing and scheduling information for any of these routes should contact Port Authority Customer Service at (412) 442-2000 or the TTY number, (412) 231-7007, for the speech and hearing impaired. Timetables for the four Steelers Regional Bus Routes and two Heinz Field Shuttles will soon be available online at www.portauthority.org and at all major schedule rack locations.