New bus lanes to be installed in Downtown Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — New bus lanes will be coming to Downtown, which Pittsburgh Regional Transit says is a major step toward improving bus service and reducing congestion.

PRT will begin installing the red bus lanes along the University Line corridor on Monday, May 19.

“This highly anticipated upgrade is set to transform daily commutes and make public transit more reliable for thousands of riders,” PRT said in a release.

The bus lanes will be installed in phases, with each phase impacting bus service and traffic patterns in the area.

PRT said work is weather-dependent. Additional details or any changes will be listed here on its website: https://prt-brt-newshub.prezly.com/

Here is a breakdown of each phase of work and the impacts on traffic downtown:

Phase I: Liberty Avenue, Fifth Avenue to Sixth Avenue (Starting May 19)

Phase 1 Bus Lane Installation Aerial view of traffic detour for Phase One (Starting May 19) (Pittsburgh Regional Transit)

In phase one, the red bus lane will be installed on Liberty Avenue between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in the northeast bound direction. Work will begin on Monday, May 19 at 8 p.m. at Liberty and Fifth Avenues and will progress in the northeast direction to Sixth Avenue, weather permitting. Work on Liberty Avenue is expected to be completed by 6 a.m. on Tuesday, May 20.

General Traffic Changes:

The contractor will maintain general traffic on Liberty Avenue.
Sixth Avenue between Liberty Avenue and Wood Street will be closed.

Buses will not stop at:

Liberty and Sixth Avenue (K&L Gates)
Sixth and Smithfield (Trinity Cathedral)

Pedestrian access will be maintained on both sides of Liberty Avenue.

Phase 2: Sixth Avenue, Grant Street to Centre Avenue (Starting May 20)

Phase Two: Bus Lanes Aerial view of traffic detour for phase two (starting May 20) (Pittsburgh Regional Transit)

In phase two, a red bus lane will be added on Sixth Avenue between Grant Street and Centre Avenue in the eastbound direction. Work is expected to begin on Tuesday, May 20, weather permitting.

The contractor will begin placing traffic detours at 7 a.m. in advance of work beginning at night. Installation will begin at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20, and is expected to be completed by 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21.

General Traffic Changes:

The outbound travel lane adjacent to Mellon Green will be closed.
The contractor will maintain two-directional traffic.

Bus service will not be impacted. Pedestrian access will be maintained on both sides of Sixth Avenue.

Phase 3: Sixth Avenue, Wood Street to Grant Street (Starting May 21)

Phase 3: Bus Lane Installation Aerial view of traffic detour for phase three (starting May 21) (Pittsburgh Regional Transit)

In phase three, the red bus lane will be added to Sixth Avenue between Wood Street and Grant Street in the eastbound direction. This section of installation is expected to begin at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, May 21, and is expected to be completed by the end of the week.

General Traffic Changes:

Sixth Avenue between Liberty Avenue and Grant Street will become a bus-only lane in the eastbound direction, restricting outbound vehicle access.
General traffic will only be able to travel westbound (inbound) on Sixth Avenue between Grant Street and Wood Street

Buses will not stop at:

Sixth Avenue & Smithfield Street (Trinity Cathedral)

Pedestrian access will be maintained opposite the work zone.

Phase 4: Fifth Avenue, Grant Street to Liberty Avenue (Starting May 27)

Phase 4: Bus Lane Installation Aerial view of Phase 4 traffic detour (starting May 27) (Pittsburgh Regional Transit)

In phase four, A red bus lane will be installed on Fifth Avenue between Grant Street and Liberty Avenue in the westbound direction. Traffic detours will be placed at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, May 27, in advance of work beginning at 8 p.m., weather permitting. This section of Fifth Avenue is expected to reopen on Wednesday, May 28.

General Traffic Changes:

The westbound (inbound) section of Fifth Avenue between Grant Street and Market Street will become a bus lane.
General traffic will travel eastbound (outbound) on Fifth Avenue between Market Street and Grant Street.
Vehicles will share a single lane with buses on Fifth Avenue between Market Street and Liberty Avenue.

Buses will not stop at:

Fifth at William Penn Place
Fifth Avenue at Smithfield Street
Fifth Avenue at Wood Street (Goddard School)
Fifth avenue opposite McMasters Way

Pedestrian access will be maintained opposite the work zone.

Phase 5: Fifth Avenue, Sixth Avenue to Grant Street (Starting May 28)

Phase Five: Bus Lane Installation Aerial view of phase five traffic detour (starting May 28) (Pittsburgh Regional Transit)

In phase five, a red bus lane will be installed on Fifth Avenue between Sixth Avenue and Grant Street in the westbound direction.

Traffic detours will be placed at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, May 28, in advance of work starting that night. Installation will begin at 8 p.m. and is expected to be completed by the end of the week, weather permitting.

General Traffic Changes:

The westbound (inbound) section of Fifth Avenue between Grant Street and Market Street will become a bus lane.
The westbound (inbound) section of Fifth Avenue between Market Street and Liberty Avenue will have general traffic and buses.
General traffic will travel eastbound (outbound) on Fifth Avenue between Market Street and Grant Street.

Buses will not stop at: