North Shore Connector

The North Shore Connector is a light-rail extension opened in 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The connector extends the Pittsburgh Light Rail system from its previous terminus at Gateway Center Station in the Central Business District to the new North Side Station and Allegheny Station on the North Shore by way of a tunnel under the Allegheny River. The Connector extends the light rail system's "Free Fare Zone", enabling passengers to ride to and from Pittsburgh's rapidly growing North Shore neighborhood for free.

Planned since the late 1990s, the North Shore Connector received federal funding on February 6, 2004 and had crews complete the initial bore under the river on July 10, 2008. The Connector had a "soft opening" on Friday, March 23, 2012, with regular service beginning March 25, 2012. The final cost of the project was $523.4 million.

The North Shore neighborhood of Pittsburgh evolved from a "sea of asphalt" in the 1990s to a bustling extension of the central business district reflecting approximately one billion dollars of investment and construction in the first decade of the 2000s. The North Shore Connector links Pittsburgh's previously 25-mile light rail network to the new businesses and attractions of the North Shore, serving commuters, visitors, and sports event attendees alike.

The North Side Station serves PNC Park (1.75 million annual fans) and the Community College of Allegheny County (7,200 students). The Allegheny Station serves residents in Allegheny West and Manchester, as well as visitors to Heinz Field (500,000 annual fans, excluding concerts), the Carnegie Science Center (700,000 annual visitors), Children's Museum of Pittsburgh (250,000 annual visitors) and the Rivers Casino. During weekdays, downtown-destined vehicle commuters use the Connector by parking in one of the many North Shore parking facilities and completing their commute on the Connector.

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