South Busway
Encyclopedia
The South Busway is a two-lane bus rapid transit highway
serving southern portions of the city of Pittsburgh. The busway runs for 4.3 miles from the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel
across the Monongahela River
from Downtown Pittsburgh to the Overbrook
neighborhood of the city, bypassing the crowded Pennsylvania Route 51
(Saw Mill Run Boulevard). It is owned and maintained by the Port Authority of Allegheny County
, the public transit provider for Allegheny County and the Pittsburgh region.
system was also discussed, and one of the target routes was a corridor bordering Route 51 through the Brookline
and Overbrook
neighborhoods. While light rail would be developed during the following decade, the Port Authority decided to use BRT to allow transport vehicles to avoid the crowded, narrow, and stop light-filled highway. In 1977, a two-lane route was constructed in a valley close to the road, allowing Pittsburgh to feature the first BRT system in the United States. Unlike future American busways, including the city's Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway
(opened in 1983) and West Busway
(opened in 2000), the route was not designed as a commuter corridor in itself and does not feature the amenities associated with more recent BRTs, such as park and ride lots and high level stations. Instead, standard bus shelters are included and no routes terminate at the end of the busway. The main goal of the road is to allow for suburban buses to operate more quickly and to encourage the use of public transportation by allowing riders to avoid a highly congested highway. Following the naming convention of each busway being designated by a color, bus routes that use the South Busway begin with a "Y" for yellow.
The busway shared portions of its right of way with the city's light rail line
. A section from the Glenbury to the South Bank stops was shared with the Overbrook line, and another section just after the Pioneer Avenue stop continues to share right of way from that point to South Hills Junction with the Beechview line. In 1993, the Overbrook line was suspended, and the right of way was exclusively busway. When the Overbrook line was rebuilt, it did not resume sharing the busway, rather, a new grade-separated private right of way was built parallel to the busway, and only the South Bank stop
serving as the connection point between the rail line and busway.
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
serving southern portions of the city of Pittsburgh. The busway runs for 4.3 miles from the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel
Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel
Mount Washington Transit Tunnel is an important public transportation link in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The approximately Middleton, William D. . The Time of the Trolley, p. 195. Milwaukee, WI : Kalmbach Publishing Co. LCCN 67-20155...
across the Monongahela River
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
from Downtown Pittsburgh to the Overbrook
Overbrook (Pittsburgh)
Overbrook is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's South Hills area. It has a zip codes of 15227, 15234 and 15210 and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 4 . Originally called Fairhaven, the name was changed to Overbrook when breaking away from...
neighborhood of the city, bypassing the crowded Pennsylvania Route 51
Pennsylvania Route 51
Pennsylvania Route 51 is a major state highway in Western Pennsylvania. It runs for from Uniontown to the Ohio state line near Darlington, where it connects with Ohio State Route 14. Route 51 is the termination point for Pennsylvania Route 43, Pennsylvania Route 48 and Pennsylvania Route 88. ...
(Saw Mill Run Boulevard). It is owned and maintained by the Port Authority of Allegheny County
Port Authority of Allegheny County
Port Authority of Allegheny County is the second-largest public transit agency in Pennsylvania and the 11th-largest in the United States. When considering that its service area is the 20th largest in the U.S...
, the public transit provider for Allegheny County and the Pittsburgh region.
Background
In the 1960s, the Port Authority began phasing out streetcar lines and replacing them with buses. The creation of a rail rapid transitRapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
system was also discussed, and one of the target routes was a corridor bordering Route 51 through the Brookline
Brookline (Pittsburgh)
-Early settlement:Brookline was a part of the larger West Liberty Borough before its absorption intoPittsburgh in 1908. Early in its history, the area was mostly inhabited by miners and farmers...
and Overbrook
Overbrook (Pittsburgh)
Overbrook is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's South Hills area. It has a zip codes of 15227, 15234 and 15210 and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 4 . Originally called Fairhaven, the name was changed to Overbrook when breaking away from...
neighborhoods. While light rail would be developed during the following decade, the Port Authority decided to use BRT to allow transport vehicles to avoid the crowded, narrow, and stop light-filled highway. In 1977, a two-lane route was constructed in a valley close to the road, allowing Pittsburgh to feature the first BRT system in the United States. Unlike future American busways, including the city's Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway
Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway
The Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway is a two-lane dedicated bus-only highway serving the city of Pittsburgh and many of its eastern neighborhoods and suburbs. The original segment of the busway opened in February 1983, running between Downtown Pittsburgh and Edgewood, a length of 6.8 miles...
(opened in 1983) and West Busway
West Busway
The West Busway is a two-lane bus-only highway serving the western portions of the city of Pittsburgh and several western suburbs. The busway runs for 5.1 miles from the southern shore of the Ohio River near Downtown Pittsburgh to Carnegie...
(opened in 2000), the route was not designed as a commuter corridor in itself and does not feature the amenities associated with more recent BRTs, such as park and ride lots and high level stations. Instead, standard bus shelters are included and no routes terminate at the end of the busway. The main goal of the road is to allow for suburban buses to operate more quickly and to encourage the use of public transportation by allowing riders to avoid a highly congested highway. Following the naming convention of each busway being designated by a color, bus routes that use the South Busway begin with a "Y" for yellow.
The busway shared portions of its right of way with the city's light rail line
Pittsburgh Light Rail
The Pittsburgh Light Rail is a light rail system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; it functions as a subway in Downtown Pittsburgh and largely as an at-grade light rail service in the suburbs. The system is owned and operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County...
. A section from the Glenbury to the South Bank stops was shared with the Overbrook line, and another section just after the Pioneer Avenue stop continues to share right of way from that point to South Hills Junction with the Beechview line. In 1993, the Overbrook line was suspended, and the right of way was exclusively busway. When the Overbrook line was rebuilt, it did not resume sharing the busway, rather, a new grade-separated private right of way was built parallel to the busway, and only the South Bank stop
South Bank (PAT station)
South Bank is a station on the Overbrook branch of the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network. It is located in the Brookline neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The station is a major transit facility, serving as not only a right rail stop but also along the South Busway, a...
serving as the connection point between the rail line and busway.
Routes
Fourteen routes travel the busway, including 11 local routes and 3 rush hour flyer routes. Four of the local routes (39 Brookline, 40 Mt Washington, 43 Bailey, and 44 Knoxville) branch of off the busway to serve city neighborhoods, while the remainder rejoin with Route 51 or Route 88 to service suburbs.Stations
| Station Name | Neighborhood/Borough Served | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Glenbury | Overbrook Overbrook (Pittsburgh) Overbrook is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's South Hills area. It has a zip codes of 15227, 15234 and 15210 and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 4 . Originally called Fairhaven, the name was changed to Overbrook when breaking away from... |
Southern terminus of the route. |
| Overbrook | ||
| Inglewood | Brookline Brookline (Pittsburgh) -Early settlement:Brookline was a part of the larger West Liberty Borough before its absorption intoPittsburgh in 1908. Early in its history, the area was mostly inhabited by miners and farmers... |
|
| Central St | ||
| South Bank | transfer station with The T light rail Pittsburgh Light Rail The Pittsburgh Light Rail is a light rail system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; it functions as a subway in Downtown Pittsburgh and largely as an at-grade light rail service in the suburbs. The system is owned and operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County... |
|
| Whited St | ||
| Edgebrook | ||
| Palm Garden | Mount Washington Mount Washington (Pittsburgh) Mount Washington is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's south city area. It has a zip code of 15211 and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both the council members for District 3 and District 2 .It is known for its steep hill overlooking the Pittsburgh skyline, which was... |
transfer station with The T light rail Pittsburgh Light Rail The Pittsburgh Light Rail is a light rail system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; it functions as a subway in Downtown Pittsburgh and largely as an at-grade light rail service in the suburbs. The system is owned and operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County... |
| South Hills Junction | transfer station with The T light rail Pittsburgh Light Rail The Pittsburgh Light Rail is a light rail system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; it functions as a subway in Downtown Pittsburgh and largely as an at-grade light rail service in the suburbs. The system is owned and operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County... |
|
| Station Square | South Shore South Shore (Pittsburgh) The South Shore is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania South Side. The South Shore consists of the area surrounding Carson Street, from the West End Bridge to the Liberty Bridge.The South Shore is an industrial neighborhood, home to several warehouses... |
transfer station with The T light rail Pittsburgh Light Rail The Pittsburgh Light Rail is a light rail system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; it functions as a subway in Downtown Pittsburgh and largely as an at-grade light rail service in the suburbs. The system is owned and operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County... ; 160 space park and ride |