Point Park University opposes new bus stop at Wood Street and Forbes Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh

When Pittsburgh Regional Transit begins using exclusive bus lanes in Downtown Pittsburgh next month as part of its University Line to Oakland, nearly 60 other routes will follow different paths or have new stops in the Golden Triangle.

Not everyone is thrilled with the new stops.

Point Park University and some businesses don’t like the idea of a new stop for three inbound bus routes on Wood Street near Forbes Avenue, right in front of the former Bank Center, now known as Point Park’s University Center. Routes 51L, Y1 and Y45 will continue coming inbound on Wood Street, but beginning June 22 they will turn right on Forbes instead of continuing down Wood to Sixth Avenue.

As a result, they won’t get to the stop at PNC Plaza, so the new stop will be created later this summer. It won’t be available June 22 because of a supply-chain delay getting the bump-out to create a wider sidewalk where passengers will wait.

Until then, riders will use stops on Wood between Third and Fourth avenues or on Forbes at Smithfield Street.

Keith Paylo, vice president of student affairs at Point Park, told the PRT board Friday the university is concerned the new stop will create a dangerous situation for students and staff who use the University Center. About 800 use the Wood Street entrance every day, he said.

“The area is already crowded,” he said, and the university anticipates adding another 1,000 students in the next few years. The bus stop would create “a perception of reduced campus safety,” he said, and require campus police to pay more attention to that area.

The board never responds to public comments, but after the meeting Darcy Cleaver, deputy chief planning officer, said the agency has been working with the university and Pittsburgh police since November on the new stop. The city, which controls traffic movement Downtown, has approved the new stop.

“[Riders] have to have a stop somewhere,” said Amy Silbermann, PRT’s chief development officer. “It’s not ideal for us Downtown. It’s a vibrant area, and there are lots of people around.”

To Joe Cardamone, who has owned Cardamone’s Hair Salon at Forbes and Wood for 48 years, that’s a good reason to limit bus stops to the edge of the Golden Triangle.

“They should eliminate all of the bus stops,” he said. “Downtown is only a half-mile. Stop on the fringes and let people walk. Nobody rides the buses anyway. They’re all empty.”