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Environmental approval keeps extensions on track for 2007

Wednesday, July 10, 2002

By Joe Grata, Post-Gazette Staff Writer

If the rest of the $390 million project moves as quickly as the environmental study process, people will be able to ride Light Rail Transit extensions to the North Shore and the new convention center by the spring 2007 target date.

The Federal Transit Administration has given a formal record of decision to the Port Authority, meaning the project has passed all environmental tests. The plan calls for twin tunnels under the Allegheny River, linking Gateway Center station at the present northern end of the system to PNC Park, Heinz Field, Carnegie Science Center and several residential areas.

"It was somewhat of a surprise," said Henry Nutbrown, manager of engineering and construction for the Port Authority. The approval was not expected for at least several more weeks and possibly longer.

A draft version of the environmental impact study -- six pounds of paperwork -- was finished two years ago, part of an effort to speed the project.

"This definitely keeps us on schedule for a public opening in early 2007," Nutbrown said. "We still need federal approval to start the final design. It's not automatic."

The Port Authority must assure the Federal Transit Administration that it has the funds to pay for final design, expected to cost about $20 million. Further, it must demonstrate that once the extensions are done, sufficient money will be available to operate and maintain the light rail system.

All of the information has been submitted, Nutbrown said, and the transit agency hopes to get an OK for the long-range financial plan sometime next month.

The extensions total 1.6 miles, tying together key parts of Pittsburgh with modern light rail transit for the first time, and adding to incentives to privately develop property between and around the two new professional sports stadiums on the North Shore.

Two stations would be built on the North Shore -- Allegheny Station near Heinz Field, which would also serve the science center, Community College of Allegheny County, Allegheny West and other North Side residential areas, and PNC Park on the west side of the new baseball field.

The second extension would go from Steel Plaza station to the expanded David L. Lawrence Convention Center, with a subway station under 11th Street and Penn Avenue, next to the Greyhound Bus Terminal and a short walk to the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center and Strip District.

In approving the environmental impact studies, the federal government endorsed the boring of dual 22-foot-diameter tunnels, one tunnel at a time, to ease public concerns about excavating trenches, sinking pre-fabricated tubes and covering them with large stone.

The tunnel-boring method was chosen to eliminate river pollution, interfering with aquatic life and tearing up Fort Duquesne Boulevard and the 10th Street Bypass.

In March, the Port Authority hired Tri-Gold, a joint venture of consultants, and agreed to pay up to $3.1 million to have it oversee final design and manage construction and other project-related activities.

The authority is currently selecting a consultant to do general engineering; an architectural firm for such duties as station design; and a technical firm for signals, communications and power systems.

Those participants are expected to take until late next year for their work. After that, the authority will be ready to advertise for construction bids and acquire the right of way.

Money then becomes the problem.

"Most of the money for final design is in hand," Nutbrown said. With help from Pennsylvania's U.S. senators, Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum, "We're looking for another congressional earmark for the federal fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 to get us through the design phase of the project, buy the rights of way and start to relocate utilities."

Meanwhile, the Port Authority and local public officials are lobbying the Federal Transit Administration to grant a full-funding agreement -- that is, a commitment to provide 60 percent of the costs of construction and nine extra light rail vehicles at $2.3 million each.

"We were hoping for 80 percent federal participation, but that's not going to happen," Nutbrown said. "It's looking like 60 percent will be the maximum federal share we can expect."

Allegheny County would be expected to provide 3.3 percent, but the Port Authority would have to depend on the state for the balance, or about $143 million.

The light rail extension is on the Federal Transit Administration's "recommended" list of projects, which Port Authority Chief Executive Officer Paul Skoutelas has said "significantly bolsters our chances for acquiring federal dollars to move forward."

The other two categories are "highly recommended" and "not recommended." The highest rating usually goes to urban areas with special transit taxes that provide large shares of capital project costs, thereby enabling the federal government to ante up less money and stretch its transit dollars.