Pittsburgh’s Red Line reopens following bridge repairs and trackwork
The Port Authority of Allegheny County returned Red Line trains to their regular route on May 24 and will be ending the shuttle bus service that has been in place since the unexpected shutdown of the Saw Mill Run Boulevard Bridge on Feb. 4.
Rail crews, which Port Authority called “the best at what they do,” completed overnight testing of light-rail vehicles on the line in a process the authority called grueling. While the light-rail line is open, Port Authority says it will keep one bus shuttle running during the morning for people not aware the line has reopened.
"Following successful testing overnight, we were able to put the Red Line back into regular service very early this morning," Port Authority posted on its Facebook page. "Thank you to all the riders who have been inconvenienced for the last few months. We truly appreciate your patience during the repairs to the Saw Mill Run Boulevard Bridge and the subsequent work at Fallowfield Station."
The bridge, which hosts rail and bus traffic, was closed when engineers noticed an expanded joint on the deck of the bridge. Port Authority said the unexpected shift was caused by water penetration on a portion of the concrete support structure followed by freezing temperatures. The original cost of the repairs to the bridge was expected to top $2 million and take up to 12 weeks to complete.
Crews worked during shutdown in traffic to reposition the section of the bridge that shifted and installed new supports, anchor bolts, rail joints and bearings. Buses were cleared to start using the bridge again on May 14. However, light-rail traffic remained suspended because Port Authority took advantage of the shutdown to accelerate two capital projects.
The two projects, Fallowfield Station repairs and nearby light-rail track replacements, were scheduled later in 2022 and would have required a shutdown of the Red Line. Performing the work now limited inconvenience to riders.
The work on Fallowfield Station in Pittsburgh’s Beechview neighborhood includes repairing the concrete platforms and metal railings, replacing tactile pads, refurbishing overhead canopies and painting various areas of the station.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
![The Saw Mill Run Boulevard Bridge opened to bus traffic on May 14 and is expected to open to rail traffic at the end of the month following a 14-week closure. [Image credit: Port Authority of Allegheny County]](https://img.masstransitmag.com/files/base/cygnus/mass/image/2022/05/16x9/PortAuthorityofAlleghenyCounty_SawMillRunBlvdBridge.628309ce9691a.png?auto=format,compress&fit=crop&q=45&h=139&height=139&w=250&width=250 "The Saw Mill Run Boulevard Bridge opened to bus traffic on May 14 and is expected to open to rail traffic at the end of the month following a 14-week closure. [Image credit: Port Authority of Allegheny County]")
