Port Authority to discuss transit improvement ideas at community meetings

Port Authority will host a series of public meetings in the coming weeks to discuss NEXTransit, the service’s plan for improving Allegheny County transit.

There will be four meetings in total: at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Feb. 25, and at 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. on March 2.

Some of the ideas to be presented at the meetings include extensions to the light rail system and busway extensions, updated fare policies and a sidewalk accessibility program. Port Authority will propose high-capacity transit corridors to the North Hills, Pittsburgh International Airport, Hazelwood, Monroeville and the Allegheny Valley and McKeesport. It will also present an idea for better on-street transit amenities for several corridors and transit hubs in the Strip District, the North Hills, Edgewood, Carnegie and other spots in Allegheny County.

“We are so excited to be at this pivotal step in our long-range planning process,” Port Authority CEO Katharine Kelleman said in a statement. “If implemented, these projects, programs and policies would be transformative for individual communities and our region as a whole.”

The goal of NEXTransit, launched in June 2020, is to improve the region’s current transportation network, attract riders and enhance mobility and community development, according to a news release. The initiatives in discussion are focused on the next 25 years, through 2045.

The meetings are an opportunity for community members to help prioritize transit investments. The project team will ask for input on how to finance the ideas in the plan in late spring.

Those interested in attending can register online at NEXTransit.network/events.