PRT adjusts routes Feb 22; Fifth Ave bus lane removed | The Locally Times
Pittsburgh Regional Transit reroutes nine bus lines to Forbes Avenue after removing Fifth Avenue's dedicated bus lane for a new bike path.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) will implement schedule adjustments for numerous routes on Sunday, February 22, 2026, according to a February 11, 2026, Port Authority of Allegheny County service adjustment notice. These changes include the removal of the contraflow bus lane on Fifth Avenue in Oakland, which occurred in January 2026. The removal of the dedicated bus lane facilitates the construction of a new bi-directional bike lane on Fifth Avenue, which is part of PRT’s University Line bus rapid transit project. Nine bus routes that previously used the Fifth Avenue bus lane have been rerouted to Forbes Avenue. The Port Authority of Allegheny County notice identifies these routes as 54-North Side-Oakland-South Side, 61D-Murray Short, 71A-Negley Short, 71B-Highland Park, and 71C-Point Breeze Short. The new routing for these lines will be integrated into their schedules. Some daily trip times for the 61D route have been adjusted to improve on-time performance. Routes 71A and 71B also have updated daily trip times to improve operational efficiency, while route 71C's daily trip times have changed for the same reason. Sunday frequency for route 71A will decrease from its previous range of 28-39 minutes to a new pattern of 45, 30, and 45 minutes. Route 71C will also experience a decrease in Sunday frequency, moving from its prior schedule of every 35, 30, and 35 minutes to the new 45, 30, and 45-minute intervals. The route 54-North Side-Oakland-South Side will return to its regular routing using the Herron Avenue Bridge, following the conclusion of a detour in September. The route 54 also includes new inbound variants to accommodate the Forbes Avenue detour. ## Infrastructure Shift and Unanswered Questions The removal of the dedicated bus lane on Fifth Avenue represents a shift in transit infrastructure in Oakland. The Port Authority of Allegheny County states the purpose of this change is to allow contractors to build a new bi-directional bike lane as part of the University Line bus rapid transit project. However, the service adjustment notice does not provide details regarding the projected completion date for the new bike lane or the overall University Line project. Records do not specify the estimated impact on travel times or reliability for the nine bus routes rerouted to Forbes Avenue, nor do they detail the duration of the Forbes Avenue detour for these lines. The financial implications or costs associated with the bus lane removal and the new bike lane construction are not publicly available in the provided documents. Furthermore, the records do not indicate whether public consultation or community feedback was solicited regarding the decision to remove the dedicated bus lane and implement the subsequent route changes. ## Rider Impact and Future Service The service adjustments extend beyond the Fifth Avenue changes. Other routes, including 53-Homestead Park, 53L-Homestead Park Limited, 57-Hazelwood, 59-Mon Valley, and 64-Lawrenceville-Waterfront, also have changed daily trip times. Route 55-Glassport has a changed routing, and some stops will not be served due to the shifting of Camp Hollow Road in West Mifflin. The Port Authority of Allegheny County adjusts schedules three times annually, with these changes aiming to improve reliability or reflecting current ridership. The specific impact of reduced Sunday frequency on routes 71A and 71C for transit-dependent riders is not detailed in the available records. The records do not provide information on the overall budget for the University Line bus rapid transit project or its funding sources. The long-term vision for public transportation efficiency in the city, balancing existing bus service with future multimodal projects, remains to be fully detailed in public records.