Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway
Encyclopedia
The Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway is a two-lane dedicated bus-only highway
serving the city of Pittsburgh and many of its eastern neighborhoods and suburbs. The original segment of the busway opened in February 1983, running between Downtown Pittsburgh and Edgewood
, a length of 6.8 miles. In 2003, the busway was extended into Swissvale by 2.3 miles, making its current length 9.1 miles. It was named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in recognition of the fact that the western portion of the route serves many predominantly African-American neighborhoods, such as Wilkinsburg
and East Liberty
. It is owned and maintained by the Port Authority of Allegheny County
. Following the naming convention of each busway being designated by a color, bus routes that use the East Busway begin with a "P" for purple.
utilizing a connecting road to Oakland between the Herron and Negley Stations. The route then serves the busy Fifth Avenue corridor, providing access to universities, hospitals, and office buildings. The P2 ("East Busway Short") operates only between Wilkinsburg
and Downtown and makes a larger loop through the central core..
Many of the Port Authority's express and suburban Flyer routes also utilize the busway (but do not make stops along it), primarily during weekday rush hours. The busway enables these routes to bypass the heavily congested Parkway East (Interstate 376
), making for faster trip times.
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
serving the city of Pittsburgh and many of its eastern neighborhoods and suburbs. The original segment of the busway opened in February 1983, running between Downtown Pittsburgh and Edgewood
Edgewood, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Edgewood is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh. The population was 3,118 at the 2010 census.-History:Edgewood was incorporated on December 1, 1888...
, a length of 6.8 miles. In 2003, the busway was extended into Swissvale by 2.3 miles, making its current length 9.1 miles. It was named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in recognition of the fact that the western portion of the route serves many predominantly African-American neighborhoods, such as Wilkinsburg
Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania
Wilkinsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,930 at the 2010 census, having lost more than 13,000 in the 70 years since 1940, when 29,853 people were enumerated...
and East Liberty
East Liberty (Pittsburgh)
East Liberty is a culturally diverse neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's East End. It is bordered by Highland Park, Morningside, Stanton Heights, Garfield, Friendship, Shadyside and Larimer, and is represented on by Patrick Dowd...
. It is owned and maintained by the Port Authority of Allegheny County
Port Authority of Allegheny County
Port Authority of Allegheny County is the second-largest public transit agency in Pennsylvania and the 11th-largest in the United States. When considering that its service area is the 20th largest in the U.S...
. Following the naming convention of each busway being designated by a color, bus routes that use the East Busway begin with a "P" for purple.
Routes
The P1 ("East Busway All Stops") is the main route, operating seven days a week and running the full length of the Busway between Swissvale and Downtown Pittsburgh, making all stops, before running a short loop through the central business district. Two additional routes run Monday through Friday: The P3 ("East Busway Oakland") operates between Swissvale and OaklandOakland (Pittsburgh)
Oakland is the academic, cultural, and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania's third largest "Downtown". Only Center City Philadelphia and Downtown Pittsburgh can claim more economic and social activity than Oakland...
utilizing a connecting road to Oakland between the Herron and Negley Stations. The route then serves the busy Fifth Avenue corridor, providing access to universities, hospitals, and office buildings. The P2 ("East Busway Short") operates only between Wilkinsburg
Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania
Wilkinsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,930 at the 2010 census, having lost more than 13,000 in the 70 years since 1940, when 29,853 people were enumerated...
and Downtown and makes a larger loop through the central core..
Many of the Port Authority's express and suburban Flyer routes also utilize the busway (but do not make stops along it), primarily during weekday rush hours. The busway enables these routes to bypass the heavily congested Parkway East (Interstate 376
Interstate 376
Interstate 376 is a major auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, located entirely within the Allegheny Plateau. It runs from I-80 near Sharon south and east to a junction with the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Monroeville, after having crossed the Turnpike...
), making for faster trip times.
Stations
| Station Name | Neighborhood/Borough Served | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Penn Station | Downtown | Connects with Pittsburgh's Union Station Union Station (Pittsburgh) Union Station is a historic train station at Grant Street and Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States.-History:Unlike many union stations built in the U.S... (Amtrak Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union... and Greyhound Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and... connections) |
| Herron | Polish Hill Polish Hill Polish Hill is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Primarily a residential area, it is home to one of Pittsburgh's oldest and largest churches, the Immaculate Heart of Mary.... |
|
| Negley | Shadyside Shadyside (Pittsburgh) Shadyside is a neighborhood in the East End of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It has zip codes of both 15232 and 15206, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 8... |
|
| East Liberty | East Liberty East Liberty (Pittsburgh) East Liberty is a culturally diverse neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's East End. It is bordered by Highland Park, Morningside, Stanton Heights, Garfield, Friendship, Shadyside and Larimer, and is represented on by Patrick Dowd... |
|
| Homewood | Homewood Homewood (Pittsburgh) Homewood is a predominantly African American neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, officially divided into three neighborhoods: Homewood North, Homewood South and Homewood West.... |
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| Wilkinsburg | Wilkinsburg Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania Wilkinsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,930 at the 2010 census, having lost more than 13,000 in the 70 years since 1940, when 29,853 people were enumerated... |
748 space Park and Ride Park and ride Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip... available |
| Hay Street | Wilkinsburg Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania Wilkinsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,930 at the 2010 census, having lost more than 13,000 in the 70 years since 1940, when 29,853 people were enumerated... |
spur segment of the busway served only by P2 |
| Hamnett | Wilkinsburg Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania Wilkinsburg is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,930 at the 2010 census, having lost more than 13,000 in the 70 years since 1940, when 29,853 people were enumerated... |
128 space Park and Ride Park and ride Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip... available |
| Roslyn Street | Swissvale Swissvale, Pennsylvania Swissvale is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, east of downtown Pittsburgh. Named for a farmstead owned by abolitionist and early feminist Jane Swisshelm, during the industrial age it was the site of the Union Switch and Signal Company of George Westinghouse. The population was 8,983 at... |
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| Swissvale | Swissvale Swissvale, Pennsylvania Swissvale is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, east of downtown Pittsburgh. Named for a farmstead owned by abolitionist and early feminist Jane Swisshelm, during the industrial age it was the site of the Union Switch and Signal Company of George Westinghouse. The population was 8,983 at... |
163 space Park and Ride Park and ride Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip... available |