South Hills riders who use Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s light rail system can expect some disruption in the next few weeks while crews finish a $10.8 million project to upgrade platforms at 18 stations.
Work begins Monday to replace the canopies at the Washington Junction Station, and there won’t be any disruption for the next three weeks while the canopies are torn down. But for the following two weeks, all trains in that area will use the same set of tracks inbound and outbound while the new canopies are installed.
The authority said the work will be done between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. and is expected to be completed by July 21.
During the canopy installation, another construction project at the Mt. Lebanon Transit Tunnel will shift to daylight work. Fans inside the tunnel will operate only on the Dormont end of the tunnel from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and single tracking also will be used in that area.
PRT spokesman Adam Brandolph said work on the stations began Feb. 22. They were supposed to be done several at a time in phases, but general contractor P.J. Dick and electrical contractor Merit Electrical Group Inc. have had to work in many areas at once due to supply-chain issues.
For example, some work at Washington Junction began in August, but the canopies weren’t available until now. Not all the stations have canopies.
The station work along the Red, Blue and Silver lines includes repairing concrete and masonry; improving access for people with disabilities; replacing fiberglass panels; and installing metal railings, LED light poles, and fixtures and wiring for new fare collection booths.
Crews are still working on stations at Washington Junction, Castle Shannon, McNeilly, Lytle, South Bank, Memorial Hall, Boggs and Killarney. Work will begin later this summer at Library, Bon Air and First Avenue.
Earlier stations in the project were Fallowfield, Potomac, Mt. Lebanon, Willow, Overbrook, Denise and South Hills Village.
The projects should be done by the end of the year.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.