Guide to the Port Authority of Allegheny County Photographs 1983
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Port Authority of Allegheny County Photographs
- Creator
- Port Authority of Allegheny County
- Collection Number
- PSS 0041
- Extent
- .5 linear feet (One box)
- Date
- 1983
- Abstract
- The Port Authority of Allegheny County (PAT) originally was created by Pennsylvania lawmakers to develop and to promote Pittsburgh's river ports. In response to a recommendation by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, legislation was passed in 1959 that expanded PAT's responsibilities to include managing all public transportation in the county. Construction on Pittsburgh's subway system began in January 1982 and ended in October 1983. Much of the construction took place under Sixth Avenue, parts of which were closed during construction The collection consists of photographs and negatives documenting construction in 1983.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This collection has been made accessible as part of an NHPRC-funded Basic Processing grant.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History
The Port Authority of Allegheny County (PAT) originally was created by Pennsylvania lawmakers to develop and to promote Pittsburgh's river ports. In response to a recommendation by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, legislation was passed in 1959 that expanded PAT's responsibilities to include managing all public transportation in the county. The ACCD recommended public transportation because many of the private transportation companies in Pittsburgh, including the largest, Pittsburgh Railway Company, were either failing to maintain their vehicles and infrastructure or were on the verge of bankruptcy. PAT consolidated more than thirty fare structures and condensed thirty-eight operations centers and garages into six divisions. It officially began operations on March 1, 1964. By the late 197'0s, PAT began to plan a subway system.
Construction began on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's subway system in downtown Pittsburgh at Sixth Avenue and Grant Street in January 1982. Several buildings in the vicinity of Bigelow Boulevard, Sixth Avenue and Grant Street had been razed, and two blocks of Sixth Avenue were relocated in order to accommodate construction of what was then the Midtown Subway Station, now Steel Plaza. Sixth Avenue between Grant Street and Liberty Avenue were closed until construction was completed in October 1983. The three-stop subway system began service in 1985. By 1987, the subway connected with the rest of Pittsburgh's light rail transit system to South Hills Village in Bethel Park, Pa.
Scope and Content Notes
The collection consists of one archival box of photographs and negatives that document the construction of the subway system (1983). The photographs show underground pipes, walls, cement mix and other aspects of excavation and underground construction. Many of the photographs are labeled.
Conditions Governing Access
None.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift from Annonymous in 1998.
Archives accession # 1998.0128
Preferred Citation
Port Authority of Allegheny County Photographs, 1983, PSS 0041, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Kelly J. Smith on 01/13/2012.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.
Subjects
- Port Authority of Allegheny County
- Downtown (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Subways--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh.