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Highway and Public Transit Alternatives Selected
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| After a year
of analyzing a wide range of transportation options and obtaining
significant public input, a comprehensive package of public transit
and highway improvements is being recommended that will best address
the growing transportation needs in the corridor between downtown
Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh International Airport. The Airport Multimodal Corridor MIS has recommended two public transit projects and one highway improvement project for detailed environmental study. The next study phase in advancing any or all of the projects to construction would include a thorough environmental analysis. During this phase, feedback, input and ideas from the general public, business community, elected officials, environmental and transportation resource agencies, and special interest groups would continue to be solicited. Following the environmental studies, comprehensive public input process and mandatory federal review and approval to proceed, detailed design and engineering work would have to be completed before proceeding to construction. Finally, in order for any of these projects to be undertaken, federal, state and local funding would have to be secured. |
View
the proposed projects for the airport corridor
View a map of the proposed projects
View the presentation from the
study's final public meeting on August 19, 2002
| Alternative | Mode | Alignment Description | Benefits |
| Ohio River Valley - Neville Island Corridor | Light Rail Transit | Airport to downtown Pittsburgh (Downtown) along Route 60 Business, Beers School and Narrows Run Roads; Route 51 to Coraopolis, via Neville Island to Stowe Township, McKees Rocks, and then crossing the Ohio River to Manchester. The alignment would then connect to the North Shore Connector alignment (future LRT extension) into Downtown. | ·
Provides an alternative to the Parkway West · Existing transportation right-of-way · Good ridership potential - 15,000 to 20,000 boardings per day · Serves older and river communities · Potential for Transit Oriented Development · Potential for brownfield development · Serves Robert Morris University · Offers service from Downtown and Oakland to the airport |
| Robinson Corridor | Light Rail Transit | Airport to Downtown along Route 60 through Robinson Township to McKees Rocks. The alignment would then cross the Ohio River to Manchester and would use the North Shore Connector alignment into Downtown. | ·
Provides an alternative to the Parkway West · Serves older communities and major attractions in the corridor · Some transit-oriented development potential · Good ridership potential - 15,000 to 20,000 boardings per day · Shortest transit connection between Downtown and the airport · Serves Robinson Township, North Fayette, and Findlay Township commercial and employment areas · Offers service from Downtown and Oakland to the airport |
| Parkway West Widening with Additional Improvements | Highway and Bus Rapid Transit | Interchange improvements and widening from the existing four all-purpose lanes to six or more lanes of the Parkway West (Route 60, Route 22/30 and I-279) from Route 151 in Beaver County to Downtown. Other improvements could include: advancing PENNDOT's study of the W&LE/Banksville Connector, widening the Fort Pitt Tunnels, making improvements to bus service, extending the West Busway, adding park and rides, adding stations and providing new vehicles. | ·
Uses existing right-of-way · Serves existing and planned development · Improves connections from Downtown and Oakland to the airport · Provides Parkway West physical and safety improvements · Enhances BRT options within the corridor · Good ridership potential - 15,000 to 20,000 boardings per day |
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