Mon Incline reopens after 7 months of upgrades
The Monongahela Incline was reopened at 7 a.m. Monday after having been shut down since Aug. 1.
Mechanical issues delayed plans to restart service at 5:30 a.m., according to a spokesman for Pittsburgh Regional Transit.
The incline has been undergoing a $8.2 million renovation project to modernize the mechanical controls and electrical system, upgrade the interiors of the upper and lower stations, install exterior track lighting and complete other updates to the historic funicular. Original plans had the incline reopening in November.
“The Mon Incline has served generations of Pittsburghers for more than 150 years and holds a special place in the hearts of locals and visitors alike,” Katharine Kelleman the transit agency’s chief executive officer. “These renovations will help preserve the incline’s historic charm and ensure that it’s able to safely and successfully operate for another 150 years.”
The Mon Incline takes riders from East Carson Street, across from the Station Square shopping complex, to Mount Washington. It operates Mondays through Saturdays from 5:30 a.m. to midnight and Sundays and holidays from 8:45 a.m. to midnight.
Built in 1870, it’s the oldest continuously operating funicular in the United States.
Tony LaRussa is a TribLive reporter. A Pittsburgh native, he covers crime and courts in the Alle-Kiski Valley. He can be reached at tlarussa@triblive.com.
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