FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Tuesday June 7, 2016) - Port Authority of Allegheny County unveiled a new wayfinding system that will make finding stops and getting public transit information easier than ever before.
County Executive Rich Fitzgerald asked the Authority to improve on-street transit information to make bus and light rail stops more obvious, and to provide better route and schedule information. Port Authority contracted with international design agency CHK America and developed the information system that was revealed today.
“Downtown Pittsburgh has thousands of signs directed at motorists, but it’s equally important for pedestrians to know where they can hop on a bus or grab a light rail vehicle to get them to where they want to go,” Fitzgerald said. “This new wayfinding will enhance visibility of our transit system and make riding on public transportation easier.”
Port Authority’s wayfinding system will feature a mix of new signs, maps and digital screens to help people find transit locations and more easily reach their destinations; something that has also been a focus on the Port Authority’s Board:
“We want residents and visitors alike to be comfortable using the Port Authority and to make the information that we provide to be as easy as possible to understand,” said Bob Hurley, Chairman of the Port Authority Board. “As a Board, we know that this is an important first step in that goal and we look forward to the response and the continued improvements to the system moving forward.”
The wayfinding program includes:
- 85 bus stops and poles that will include an abbreviated map and stop-specific route frequency information.
- 8 solar-powered digital bus stops that will provide stop-specific real-time bus information.
- 5 touchscreen information kiosks that will provide real-time bus information, route overview and trip-planning capabilities.
- 2 digital bus stops that will provide an abbreviated map and stop-specific route frequency information.
“One of the barriers to taking public transportation is communication, and the new signs attempt to address that by providing riders with the information they need to easily and successfully get around our system,” said Port Authority CEO Ellen McLean. “Not only will stops and stations be more visible to pedestrians, but it will make riding the bus or light rail easier, interactive and more intuitive.”
“We are excited to have teamed up with Port Authority to deploy the latest in wayfinding technology in Pittsburgh, recently selected as a smart city finalist for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Smart City Challenge,” added Rick Wood, President and CEO, CHK America. “Now available to Port Authority’s customers are CHK America’s Connectpoint Interactive Kiosks, the most successful interactive kiosks deployed in transit, and the Connectpoint Digital Bus Stops, the first of their kind in the U.S.”
The signs will initially be placed throughout the Downtown area and installation is anticipated to begin this summer. Future plans call for them to be placed throughout the entire transit system in Allegheny County over the next several years.
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Photo credit: Port Authority. Caption: Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald tests out an interactive display on Tuesday, June 7, 2016. The device is planned to provide bus riders with more information regarding routes.
Media contacts:
Jim RitchieCommunications Officer, Port Authority of Allegheny County
1-412-566-5136
jritchie[@]portauthority.org