Pittsburgh to receive $30M for public transit in 1st infrastructure bill allocation

The Pittsburgh region is receiving more than $30 million in transit funding from the infrastructure law passed in November, but it remains unknown how the region’s largest transit agency will use the money.

The money is coming from the $234 million allocated for Pennsylvania and is earmarked for the first four to five months of the 2022 fiscal year, with more funding expected after Congress passes an additional spending bill for the fiscal year, according to the office of U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton.

“Thanks to the infrastructure law, many of the commonwealth’s public transit systems will be able to upgrade vehicles, improve facilities and provide faster, safer and more convenient service,” Casey said.

In addition to Pittsburgh’s $30 million, the Monessen-California area received about $983,000 and the Uniontown-Connellsville area received about $900,000 in public transit funding. The funding also included more than $11 million for rural areas or Appalachian counties and $2.5 million for enhanced mobility of seniors and people with disabilities for communities with a population of less than 200,000.

Port Authority of Allegheny County will receive the vast majority of the Pittsburgh region’s allocation.

“This funding will go a long way to ensure Western Pennsylvania can continue to enjoy improved air quality, lower carbon emissions and access to equitable transportation that Port Authority provides,” said Port Authority CEO Katharine Kelleman.

It’s unclear how Port Authority will use the $30 million, as the agency awaits more information from the federal government.

Late last year, Port Authority adopted its NEXTransit plan, which lays out priorities and projects to tackle over the next 25 years, including light-rail extensions, a new transit corridor connecting the Strip District to the Mon Valley and more.

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has pushed for an extension of the East Busway to communities in the Mon Valley and said last week he was confident that the project would eventually receive the necessary funding.

Gov. Tom Wolf said in November that he expects Pennsylvania to receive $2.8 billion for public transit over five years. Kelleman said in December that she hopes the region would receive about $100 million in public transit funds.