This is a $291,000,000 project with various local, state, and federal sources contributing to its completion.

Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh, and the Urban Redevelopment Authority are formal partners in this bus rapid transit project. They have been formally involved in the project for years and have provided it various support mechanisms to make it a reality. In 2017, the City of Pittsburgh and Urban Redevelopment Authority completed the EcoInnovation District Plan in collaboration with PRT. Adopted by the City's Planning Commission, this plan established the parameters of the project in the Uptown community including transit-oriented development (TOD) zoning. A neighborhood plan and TOD zoning for Oakland followed in 2022.

PRT Bus Rapid Transit Routes

The PRTX University Line is planned to include current bus routes 61A, 61B, 61C, and 71B plus an extension of current route P3 to Downtown Pittsburgh, for a total of five routes along the corridor. As part of the current proposal, the P3 would be extended from its current terminus in Oakland to Downtown Pittsburgh, following the loop in Downtown that the 61A, 61B, 61C, and 71B currently use.

PRT's ongoing Bus Line Refresh project proposes to change bus routings as part of a broader, system level review of PRT's network. The second draft proposed network would replace the Route P3 with the Route X80 (essentially today's 71C bus route). If Bus Line Refresh is approved and implemented as currently proposed, the P3 would retain is existing routing and would NOT be extended to Downtown/Uptown. Instead, the 71C would be put back in service in Downtown/Uptown to replace the P3's planned extension. The planning for this project is ongoing in 2026, and if confirmed changes are made, this section will be updated with a final decision. Other changes for Oakland bus routes that are not formally part of the University Line Project may also be proposed under the Bus Line Refresh project. Check out buslinerefresh.com for more details.

ACCESS Paratransit Service

ACCESS paratransit vehicles will be permitted to use the bus-only lanes throughout the project. ACCESS drivers will be encouraged to pick up and drop off outside of the transit only lanes, whenever possible, to minimize disruption to PRTX services.

The University Line is taking major steps towards sustainability by utilizing fifteen battery-electric, zero tailpipe emissions buses on our project corridor, along with fifty-two clean diesel buses. Both fleets arrived in late 2024 and these new buses are out on the street on the 61A, 61B, 61C, 71B, and P3 routes with "Coming Soon" noted for the PRTX service brand.

The fare structure for this project was publicly announced in February 2026 to be all door boarding, with current payment methods continuing to be used at the front door of each bus, and middle and back door validators added to the inside of those doors for card and phone users to tap their payment method when boarding. This will speed up boarding at PRTX Stations. Port Authority Police Officers will not be utilized to collect fares. PRT will keep an eye on fare evasion rates to ensure it can continue offering this time-saving amenity to riders throughout the PRTX University Line corridor after the project opens in 2027.