Bus Rapid Transit Project Debuts in Oakland

The “Get There Pgh!” Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) study is exploring how new bus service could shorten commute times and spur development between Downtown and Oakland.  OPDC welcomes the project as another way to improve transit access to and from Oakland as well as continue attracting new businesses, residents and visitors.

At the first of a series of public meetings, Darryl Phillips explained how the proposed system would improve transit service in the Downtown-Oakland-East End corridor. Phillips is Lead Traffic Engineer for Parsons Brinckerhoff, the firm conducting the study along with Port Authority and a committee of over 30 stakeholders that includes OPDC. “BRT has been proven to attract economic development in cities like Cleveland and Boston,” Phillips told attendees. “The goal is to bring the same ease of use of a subway system to the bus system here in Pittsburgh.”

A bustling employment center with a population of 20,000 and commuter population of 100,000, transportation is at the crux of Oakland’s quality of life. “We see BRT as a great opportunity not only for Oakland’s continued vitality, but for the revitalization of our neighbor communities like Uptown and the Hill District,” said OPDC’s Executive Director, Wanda Wilson. “We are working together to plan the best system to leverage development throughout the corridor.”  The diverse group of stakeholders that provided input for the Oakland 2025 Community Plan agree—they established transportation improvements as a top priority in the plan. OPDC will continue to partner with “Get There Pgh!” to achieve these goals and will engage the community every step of the way.

If you missed the BRT public meeting in January, you can view the presentation by clicking here.