Commuters Dealing With Detours, Delays As Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel Work Begins

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Monday was the first day of delays and detours for "T" riders. The Port Authority is working on the tracks leading up to the Mount Washington Transit Tunnel from the South Hills Junction.

For a few riders, it was a case of the Mondays as they got to the South Hills Junction.

"I did hear about it, but I forgot until this morning," Graham Pieniazek, from Mt. Washington, said.

"I was driving over and I was thinking, 'Aww, jeez, the tunnel's out,'" Tom Zytka, of Castle Shannon, said. "I remembered something about the 26th and I look and it's the 29th."

The Port Authority said the project should take about a month.

Their crews will work around the clock to replace about 500 feet of track between the South Hills Junction and Mount Washington Transit Tunnel.

"First, they have to dig up the concrete, replace the rail, and then re-pour the concrete," Port Authority spokesperson Adam Brandolph said.

According to the Port Authority, inbound trains could be delayed by 20 minutes. They have to go up and over Mt. Washington through the Allentown neighborhood. Outbound trains could have longer delays.

About 10,000 "T" riders and 5,000 bus riders are impacted by the construction on weekdays.

"It's a little bit of a bummer. It puts me behind, but my work is a little bit flexible, so it's not the end of the world," said Ryan, from Mt. Washington, as he waited for his "T."

"It does impact it. I'll probably end up driving downtown other than today because I forgot about it," Pieniazek said.

Here are the detours:

LIGHT RAIL SERVICE

INBOUND:
• All inbound rail service will operate via the tracks that run through the city's Allentown neighborhood. Inbound rail cars will be unable to serve Station Square
• Inbound passengers heading to Station Square from the South should continue toward downtown on an inbound rail car, disembark at First Avenue and take an outbound rail car to Station Square.
• Inbound passengers at Station Square will board a rail shuttle on the inbound platform during Phase 1 and on the outbound platform during Phase

OUTBOUND:
• Outbound rail cars will use the Mt. Washington Transit Tunnel from the start of service until 11 p.m.
• After 11 p.m., outbound rail cars will use the tracks that run through the city's Allentown neighborhood and will be unable to serve Station Square. During this time, a rail shuttle will operate between Station Square and First Avenue Station.
• Customers heading outbound from Station Square after 11 p.m. should take the rail shuttle inbound toward downtown (boarding at Station Square on the inbound platform during Phase 1 and on the outbound platform during Phase 2) to First Avenue Station and then board any outbound rail car.

BUS SERVICE

INBOUND:
• The last inbound stop before buses are detoured will be South Busway at Palm Garden.
• Inbound buses will be unable to serve the following stops: South Busway at South Hills Junction; Station Square Station at South Busway Slip Ramp; East Carson at Smithfield. Additionally, Route 44 will be unable to serve the stop at South Busway at Haberman Ramp Step (at South Hills Junction).
• Port Authority will establish a stop at Wabash Tunnel Ramp at the Monongahela Incline (West Carson Street).

OUTBOUND:
• The last inbound stop before buses are detoured will be South Busway at Palm Garden.
• Inbound buses will be unable to serve the following stops: South Busway at South Hills Junction; Station Square Station at South Busway Slip Ramp; East Carson at Smithfield. Additionally, Route 44 will be unable to serve the stop at South Busway at Haberman Ramp Step (at South Hills Junction).
• Port Authority will establish a stop at Wabash Tunnel Ramp at the Monongahela Incline (West Carson Street).

Buses that use the South Busway will also be impacted by the construction. They include the 39, 40, 41, 44, Y1, Y45, Y46, Y47, and Y49.

They hope to have all of this done by Aug. 22.

For more information about how this impacts your commute, click here.

You can also call their service center at 1-412-442-2000.