Public transit will be a challenge in Downtown Pittsburgh this weekend with the Picklesburgh festival detouring some buses and construction on the light rail system limiting service into the Golden Triangle.
The festival that began at noon Friday has caused detours for buses that use the Boulevard of the Allies, which is closed from Wood Street and Stanwix Street for the weekend festival. The agency said riders could expect delays of 30 to 45 minutes because of the detours.
Buses rerouted from the Boulevard of the Allies include those operated by transit agencies in Washington, Westmoreland and Beaver counties, as well as Pittsburgh Regional Transit routes 65 Squirrel Hill, 67 Monroeville, 69 Trafford, 56 Lincoln Place, 57 Hazelwood, 58 Greenfield, 52L Homeville Limited and 53L Homestead Park Limited.
On the light rail system, riders will face disruptions Downtown from 8 p.m. Friday until the start of service on Monday for continuing work on the system’s concrete support structure.
During this work, trains will travel from the South Hills only to Downtown stops at the First Avenue, Steel Plaza and Penn Station, the station at the end of the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway on Grant Street that normally isn’t used. The agency noted that escalators at Steel Plaza are closed and Wood Street Station will be closed.
Riders who want to continue on the light rail system can take a shuttle bus from Penn Station to Gateway Station on Stanwix Street for continuing service to the North Shore.
The agency recommends South Hills riders going to Picklesburgh get off at First Avenue and walk to the festival.
Riders from the North Shore will have to get off at the Gateway Station. They can either walk to Picklesburgh or board a bus to Penn Station to continue to the South Hills. PRT riders with questions can call public service at 412-422-2000.
Ed covers transportation at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at eblazina@unionprogress.com.