PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh Regional Transit has been awarded an $82.8 million federal grant to help pay for new light rail vehicles, the agency has announced.<\/p>\n
The grant under the Federal Transit Administration’s Rail Vehicle Replacement Program will provide part of the money needed to replace the current fleet of 76 80-foot LRVs with 45 170-foot trainsets. The current vehicles have exceeded their design life and are technically obsolete, PRT says. The agency estimates it will cost $777 million to replace the existing equipment, improve related facilities, modify stations for accessibility, and address other related costs.<\/p>\n
“This investment will help us move forward with a new fleet of rail cars that will provide riders with a safer, more accessible, more comfortable, and more reliable experience,”\u00a0PRT CEO Katharine Kelleman said in a press release. Plans call for low-floor equipment with wheelchair lifts to allow accessible boarding at every station. The longer trains with an open-concept interior are intended to replace current multi-car trains.<\/p>\n
PRT says it will leverage its capital bonding capacity while pursuing additional grants to help finance the project.<\/p>\n
“I’m thrilled we’ve brought this substantial investment in rail cars home to Allegheny County, and thank you to our federal partners who helped secure these important funds for PRT,” Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato said. “Strategic investments in our fleet help ensure reliability and improve accessibility for our riders. Modernizing the PRT system for today’s riders and future generations is a legacy we can all be proud of.”<\/p>\n