Pittsburgh International Airport and the airport corridor are vital to the economic development and vitality of the Pittsburgh region. As such, Port Authority and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) undertook and completed a study effort which investigated and identified potential transportation improvements throughout the airport corridor.

The study continued efforts begun by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional Planning Commission (now SPC) when it completed the Airport Multi-Modal Corridor Project in 1989. That study identified the need for road and public transportation improvements in the airport corridor. Since then, several study efforts have been undertaken to further advance the 1989 study recommendations. Recent public interest in improving transportation connections to the Pittsburgh International Airport have again spurred the need for determining the most appropriate transportation investments in the corridor.

The Airport Multimodal Corridor Major Investment Study recommended a comprehensive package of public transit and highway improvements to address the growing transportation needs in the corridor between Downtown Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh International Airport. Port Authority and SPC conducted the study in cooperation with Allegheny County, PENNDOT and the City of Pittsburgh, which helped fund the study.

Preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is the study’s next step in identifying projects for construction. The EIS would investigate and analyze the recommended projects and obtain environmental clearances. Public feedback regarding this study was closely coordinated with the 20/20 Transit Visioning Study, Eastern Corridor Transit Study and PA High-Speed Maglev EIS Study public outreach efforts.