Light Rail Transit in Pittsburgh, Pa.

A review of rapid transit planning and implementation in Pittsburgh with major emphasis upon the Port Authority's Early Action Program South Hills fixed guideway element. As the result of waning community consensus for proceeding with the rubber-tired Skybus, the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) suspended further implementation in October, 1974. In 1975, key representatives of the local and state governments as well as the Port Authority formed a Special Task Force to break the deadlocked fixed guideway transit technology issue by selecting an independent consultant to perform a final alternative analysis study. With the completion of the South Hills Alternative Analysis and acceptance of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) technology recommendations in March, 1976, a community consensus was achieved which has resulted in the implementation of engineering and environmental impact studies with the objective of having the Stage I—LRT System operational in the South Hills sector early in the 1980's.