Pittsburgh's light rail commuters will soon be able to surf the web while they wait for a ride.
The Port Authority of Allegheny County announced Friday that Comcast will install Wi-Fi hotspots at seven of the city's T-stations.
Port Authority spokesman Adam Brandolph said the four stations Downtown, two on the North Shore and one at Station Square will be equipped with the service. Users can sign on from their smartphone and choose the Xfinity Wi-Fi option, even if they aren't Comcast customers.
The seven-year contract with Comcast was unanimously approved by the Port Authority board Friday morning. Brandolph said the non-exclusive agreement would come at no cost to taxpayers.
Authority members want the Wi-Fi's installation to coincide with another amenity for riders, Brandolph said.
"By June, we should have real-time technology on all of our light rail vehicles," he said. "So straight from the rail station to the platform, you'll be able to track to see when your next rail car is coming."
Comcast provides the same service to transit riders in Boston, Philadelphia and southern New Jersey.
Photo: kaffeeinstein/flickr
