Friday, July 29, 2011

New Park & Ride in Lincoln Place

Port Authority has established a new Park and Ride lot located at the former Muldowney bus loop in Lincoln Place. The lot is located a short walk from 56 Lincoln Place bus stops on Mifflin Road and 53L Homestead Park Limited stops on Interboro Avenue.

The lot, which is Port Authority property, will accommodate 10-15 cars, with striping for spaces to be added at a later date. The lot is located on Muldowney Avenue near Beggs Street.

The existing shelter at the lot will not be served by buses. For inbound 56 service, riders should walk to Mifflin Road past Interboro Avenue (in front of the Sunoco gas station). For inbound 53L, riders should walk to Interboro Avenue past Leaside Drive (opposite the Sunoco station). Riders using these stops will pay a one-zone fare to ride Downtown.

Port Authority continues to actively pursue new Park and Ride opportunities in the area following the discontinuation of rider parking at the Elks Lodge and Allegheny County Airport lots.

For more information, dial Customer Service at 412-442-2000 or for TTY, 412-231-7007.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Red Line Detours Postponed to Aug. 13-14, 20-21 & 27-28

Scheduled work to renovate the Fallowfield T Station platforms in Beechview has been postponed. Work will not occur this weekend or next weekend, and associated detours will also be pushed back.

Platform renovations will now occur the weekends of August 13-14, 20-21 and 27-28. Red Line operations will be affected from each Saturday's start of service until Sunday's end of service.

During these weekends, Red Line service will detour. Service to Red Line stops will be provided by a combination of detoured Red Line service, bus shuttles and local light rail shuttles.

Red Line service will detour in both directions over the Overbrook line (where Blue Line T service operates), serving its normal stops Downtown, at Station Square and at South Hills Junction, then serving Boggs through Willow stations before continuing on its regular routing to South Hills Village. At Willow, riders can transfer to the local light rail shuttle that will operate in both directions between Overbrook Junction and Potomac.

Bus shuttles will offer inbound and outbound service to riders who use Red Line stops between Station Square and Potomac Station, with shuttle stops located close to T stops. At Station Square, riders may transfer to buses or the T to continue into Downtown Pittsburgh. At Potomac, riders may transfer to the local light rail shuttle for service to stops between Kelton and Overbrook Junction.

Regular operations will resume in time for each Monday's a.m. commute.

For more infomation, view our map or call Customer Service at 412-442-2000 or for TTY, 412-231-7007.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

County Airport Park & Ride Closing

Upon further evaluation of lot usage and existing available bus service, the Port Authority Park and Ride lot at Allegheny County Airport will be discontinued effective this Sunday, July 31. The 53L Homestead Park Limited currently serves the lot.

Riders who use this lot -- as well as riders who may be considering using the lot due to the closure of the Elks Lodge Park and Ride -- may wish to consider using the Century III Mall Park and Ride Lot as an alternative or view our Park and Ride map for other options.

Please note that anyone riding to or from the county airport may still do so by catching the 53L on Lebanon Church Road; the bus will no longer enter the lot but will continue its routing past the airport.

Port Authority is actively searching for new park and ride opportunities in and around the area and will alert our riders if other options become available. Port Authority thanks the airport for its years of cooperation and support for the Park and Ride program.

For more information on park and ride lots, riders may visit our Park and Ride Information Page or call Customer Service at 412-442-2000 or for TTY, 412-231-7007.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Elks Lodge Park & Ride Closing

Due to sale of the property, the Elks Lodge Park and Ride lot in Lincoln Place will close effective Sunday, July 31. Bus routes 53L Homestead Park Limited and 56 Lincoln Place currently stop at the 60-space lot.

Riders may consider using the following park and ride lots as an alternative:
  • Allegheny County Airport: Served by 53L Homestead Park Limited with departures approximately every 20 minutes during peak periods. 120 spaces available. Located in Zone 2.
    NOTE: The County Airport Park and Ride will also close effective Sunday, July 31.
  • Century III Mall: Served by Y1 Large Flyer with departures approximately every 15 minutes during peak periods. 160 spaces available. Located in Zone 2.
Port Authority thanks Elks Lodge for its years of participation in the Park and Ride program.

For additional information on park and ride lots, riders may visit our Park and Ride Lot Information Page or call Customer Service at 412-442-2000 or for TTY, 412-231-7007.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Reminder: Red Line Detours This Weekend.

Due to station renovation in Beechview, the Red Line will detour tomorrow and Sunday. Service to Red Line stops will be provided with a combination of detoured T service, local light rail shuttles and bus shuttles.

For full details, including a link to a map of service options, view our earlier blog post.

Additionally, riders going outbound on the local light rail shuttle at Dormont Junction and Mt. Lebanon Station after 8 p.m. on Sunday must board from the inbound side due to maintenance in the Mt. Lebanon rail tunnel.

Regular Red Line service will resume in time for Monday's start of service.

For questions or trip planning assistance, please dial Customer Service at 412-442-2000 or for TTY, 412-231-7007.

Port Authority Reaches Agreement with Police Union

The Port Authority Board of Directors today approved a new labor agreement with the Port Authority Transit Police Association, which represents its police officers.

The agreement runs through July 31, 2013 and applies to more than 30 employees who work for the Authority's Police Department. This agreement was ratified by our police officers, but not by the unit representing sergeants and lieutenants, who work under a separate agreement. Management will continue to work with that group to reach a settlement.

The contract is retroactive to Aug. 1, 2009. Wages are frozen under the first two years of the agreement with the possibility of increases in the last two years.

"Recognizing the current financial condition of the Authority, this is certainly an austerity contract," said Jack Brooks, Chairman of the Port Authority Board of Directors. "Our police already have helped address the legacy cost issue as they gave up post-retirement healthcare in 2007 along with management and non-represented staff."

Also, new police employees hired on or after Sept. 1 will be enrolled in a defined contribution retirement program along with management and non-represented staff.

New Member Joins Port Authority Board

The Port Authority of Allegheny County is pleased to welcome Amanda Green Hawkins as the newest member of its Board of Directors.

Since 2008, Mrs. Hawkins has served as Allegheny County Councilwoman for District 13, representing various Pittsburgh neighborhoods, and will serve as County Council’s official presence on Port Authority’s Board. Her term on the Authority’s Board expires December 31, 2015.

Mrs. Hawkins is director of the Civil and Human Rights Department and assistant general counsel for United Steelworkers, and has represented the union throughout the United States federal court system. She served as a voter protection attorney for the Democratic Party in 2004 and 2006, and was involved with the Obama-Biden campaign’s Counsel for Change and its Labor, Employment and Workplace Committee.

She is a member of the Democratic National Committee and its Rules and Bylaws Committee, as well as the AFL-CIO’s Lawyers Coordinating Committee and its Minority Caucus. Additionally, she sits on the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute of Politics Board of Fellows and is co-chair of its Workforce Development Policy Committee.

She is a graduate of Duke University and the Northeastern University School of Law.

“On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I am very pleased to welcome Amanda,” said John A. Brooks, chairman of the Board of Directors. “It is important for public agencies like Port Authority to be in touch with the voice of labor, and Amanda will help us achieve that goal.”

“I am eager to work with Amanda on the issues facing public transportation in Allegheny County,” said Steve Bland, Port Authority CEO. “Her fresh perspective and a diverse set of experiences will no doubt prove a valuable asset to Port Authority riders and staff.”

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Red Line Detours July 23-24, 30-31; Aug. 6-7, 13-14.

Port Authority contractors will renovate the Fallowfield T Station platforms in Beechview over the next four weekends, affecting the operation of Red Line service.

The Red Line will be affected each Saturday and Sunday from start of service until end of service on July 23-24, July 30-31, August 6-7 and August 13-14. During this time, service to Red Line stops will be provided by a combination of detoured T service, local light rail shuttles and bus shuttles.

Red Line service will detour in both directions over the Overbrook line (where Blue Line T service operates), serving its normal stops Downtown, at Station Square and at South Hills Junction, then serving Boggs through Willow stations before continuing on its regular routing to South Hills Village. At Willow, riders can transfer to the local light rail shuttle that will operate in both directions between Overbrook Junction and Potomac.

Bus shuttles will offer inbound and outbound service to riders who use Red Line stops between Station Square and Potomac Station, with shuttle stops located close to T stops. At Station Square, riders may transfer to buses or the T to continue into Downtown Pittsburgh. At Potomac, riders may transfer to the local light rail shuttle for service to stops between Kelton and Overbrook Junction.

Regular operations will resume in time for each Monday morning's start of service.

For more information, view our map of service options, see the Detour Notice or call Customer Service at 412-442-2000 or for TTY, 412-231-7007.

Monday, July 18, 2011

July Planning & Development Committee Meeting Canceled

Port Authority of Allegheny County's Board of Directors has canceled its Planning and Development Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, July 20.

The Board's Performance Oversight Committee will still meet Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. The meeting will be held in the Neal H. Holmes Board Room, 345 Sixth Ave., 5th Floor in Downtown Pittsburgh.

For more information on Board and Committee meetings, visit Port Authority's website.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

New Bus Stops at New Target in East Liberty

Port Authority will establish two new bus stops this week to serve the new Target store located on Penn Avenue between Penn Circle South and Shady Avenue in East Liberty.

The inbound stop will be located on Penn Avenue opposite Eastside III Drive in front of Target. This stop will inbound service for following bus routes: 71C Point Breeze, 74 Homewood-Squirrel Hill, 77 Penn Hills, 82 Lincoln, 86 Liberty, 88 Penn and 89 Garfield Commons.

A new outbound stop for those routes will be established across the street from Target at Penn Avenue at Eastside III Drive.

The new stops will go into effect this Friday, July 8. Target is expected to open Sunday, July 24.

In addition to service at the new stops, many other routes will also provide nearby access to Target via adjacent stops, including the P1 and other routes at the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway's East Liberty Station, located across Penn Avenue from the store, and the 75 Ellsworth, which stops on Ellsworth Avenue near the busway station. For more information, use our online Trip Planner or call Customer Service at 412-442-2000 or for TTY, 412-231-7007.