PRT Will Install Red Bus Lanes in Oakland to Support the University Line
PITTSBURGH – One of the most recognizable features of the University Line Bus Rapid Transit project will begin appearing in Oakland next week as Pittsburgh Regional Transit installs the corridor’s signature red bus lanes along Forbes and Fifth avenues.
Beginning Monday, August 10, contractors will install the dedicated transit lanes overnight between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. to minimize impacts on traffic and the surrounding community.
The red bus lanes are designed to help buses move more reliably through one of the region’s busiest travel corridors, improving travel times and reducing delays for the thousands of riders who travel through Oakland each day. The lanes are among the most recognizable features of the University Line project, which will connect Pittsburgh’s Downtown, Uptown, and Oakland neighborhoods.
“These red bus lanes are much more than a visual change – they’re a sign that the University Line is becoming a reality,” said PRT Chief Development Officer Amy Silbermann. “Dedicated transit lanes will make bus service more reliable for thousands of riders to ensure transit can move efficiently throughout the corridor.”
Although they resemble paint, the lanes are created using an epoxy coating embedded with tiny red glass beads – the same treatment recently installed on the Downtown bus lanes along Fifth and Sixth avenues.
What to Expect During Installation:
Work will take place overnight between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. to reduce impacts on traffic.
Installation will occur in four phases.
During overnight work, buses and general traffic will share a single travel lane while crews install the new bus lanes.
By 6 a.m. each morning, barriers will be removed, and a second travel lane will reopen.
Newly installed sections of the roadway will remain closed for approximately 24 hours while the surface is cured.
Installation Schedule
Night 1: Forbes Avenue (Craft Avenue to Atwood Street)
Bus Stop Impacts:
The bus stop at Forbes Avenue at Craft Avenue will be closed. Riders should use the stop at Halket Street.
The bus stop at Forbes Avenue at Atwood Street will be closed. Riders should use stops at Meyran Street or Oakland Avenue.
Night 2: Forbes Avenue (Atwood Street to Schenley Drive Extension)
Bus Stop Impacts:
The bus stop at Forbes Avenue at Atwood Street will reopen.
The bus stop at Forbes Avenue at Oakland Avenue will be closed.
The bus stop at Forbes Avenue at South Bouquet Street will be temporarily relocated one-half block closer to South Bouquet Street.
Night 3: Fifth Avenue (Bellefield Avenue to Atwood Street)
Bus stop impacts:
The bus stop at Fifth Avenue at Thackary Avenue will be closed. Riders should use the stop at University Place.
The bus stop at Fifth Avenue at Atwood Street will be temporarily relocated approximately one-half block closer to Meyran Street.
Night 4: Fifth Avenue (Atwood Street to Craft Avenue)
No bus stop impacts are expected.
Additional Work:
Permanent pavement markings, including lane striping and crosswalks, will be installed after the red bus lanes are completed.
Using the Bus Lanes
Buses will begin to use the new lanes once they’re installed. Signage will be updated to ensure both bus operators and motorists know how to use the corridor safely. Only public transit vehicles will be permitted to use the lanes; bicycles, parking, loading, and unloading are not permitted.
In some areas along the corridor, motorists may use the bus lane to make right turns. These areas will be marked with red stripes.
Consistent with the transit-only lanes in Downtown Pittsburgh, there will be a 30-day period during which time motorists will receive a warning for any unpermitted use of the bus lane. After the initial 30-day period, motorists will be issued a ticket for traveling or stopping in the bus lane.
Construction is weather dependent, and the schedule may change. Weekly construction updates and additional information about each phase of the project will be posted on the University Line News Hub at https://prt-brt-newshub.prezly.com/
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