The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission has awarded Pittsburgh Regional Transit $9 million to extend the University Line project.
Announced Thursday, the funding supports the line's expansion from Squirrel Hill to the City of Pittsburgh side of the Homestead Grays Bridge.
The grant adds to a previous $7.4 million award from 2023 that funded the extension from Oakland to Squirrel Hill. Total costs for the Squirrel Hill branch are estimated between $28 million and $35 million. The agency has now secured approximately 60% of the necessary construction funding for this portion of the corridor.
Phase I of the University Line, which included five stations in Downtown, was completed in the summer of 2025.
Construction is currently progressing on Phase II, which consists of 19 stations in Uptown and Oakland. That phase is expected to be finished in 2027.
The new extension will eventually connect across the Homestead Grays Bridge to Homestead and McKeesport as part of a separate transit project. Planning will involve coordination between Pittsburgh Regional Transit, PennDOT, the Allegheny County Department of Public Works and the City of Pittsburgh's Department of Mobility and Infrastructure.
The extension between Squirrel Hill and the bridge could include six station pairs. Proposed improvements for these sites include extended sidewalks, next-bus arrival screens, fare vending machines, seating, bike racks and security cameras.
Pittsburgh Regional Transit will spend the next 12 to 18 months advancing the planning and design for the Murray and Forbes Avenue portions of the project.
The agency plans to hold public meetings in the near future to gather community feedback on station sizes and locations.
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