For Immediate Release

Vaibhav Vijay, Vaibhav.Vijay@mail.house.gov, (771) 215-7243

Zoe Bluffstone, Bluffstone@mail.house.gov, (771)444-0316

Rep. Lee, Rep. Deluzio Help Deliver $8 Million DOT Grant to Make Pittsburgh Regional Transit Red-Line Stations ADA Accessible

(PITTSBURGH) – Today, Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12) and Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA-17) announced that Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) will receive an $8 million grant from the Department of Transportation to make its Palm Garden, Dawn, Hampshire, Stevenson, Poplar, Arlington, Smith Road, Casswell, Highland and Dorchester stations along the Red Line accessible to people with disabilities. Upgrades will include replacing platforms with level boarding, installing canopies to provide shelters for the platform, designing a clear, accessible path to the upgraded platforms, and installing accessible signage. This award comes after Rep. Lee sent a letter to the Department of Transportation in January advocating for the agency to fund this critical accessibility project.

“Transportation is about more than just getting to work on time–it’s about connecting us with our families, our loved ones, our needs, and our lives. But for too long, folks with disabilities had difficulty accessing the Pittsburgh Regional Transit Red Line–with a lack of covering, difficulties boarding trains, and accessible information about transit times” said Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12). “This grant will go a long way in ensuring that our region stays more connected, and that all people  are able to use Pittsburgh Regional Transit with ease and comfort.”

“Public transit is a critical service that connects people across our community—whether that means getting to work, making a medical appointment, running errands, or picking kids up from school,” said Rep. Deluzio. “We need to make sure the Pittsburgh Regional Transit system serves the needs of everyone who uses it, and that is why I am proud to help deliver this $8 million investment to improve these Red Line stations so they work well for riders with disabilities.” 

Background: 

• Rep. Lee has secured funding for Pittsburgh Regional Transit in the past, announcing a $150 million grant in June, 2023 to ensure faster, more reliable service.
  • This grant built and improved a BRT line–dubbed The University Line– which will include 23 new stations, exclusive transit-only and bicycle lanes, intersection improvements, accessible ramps, and more. PRT serves more than 30,000 people a day in the Downtown-Uptown-Oakland corridor, connecting the second- and third-largest job centers in Pennsylvania, and five universities – University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University, Point Park University, and Carlow University.

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Since taking office in January, Lee, who serves on the House Oversight Committee and Space, Science and Technology Committee, has delivered historic levels of federal investment totaling over $1 Billion brought back to Western PA, including over $200 million for infrastructure, over $50 million for affordable transit, and over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fund research institutions, fuel clean manufacturing, fund STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs.  Lee and her team have also delivered casework and constituent services to over 1,950 constituents with issues ranging from helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and social security to helping folks secure housing and helping families with immigration support and passports.

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