Place

University of Pittsburgh, USA

General Information

Pittsburgh ranked in the top five Most Livable Cities in the 1983, 1985 and 1989 editions of the "Places Rated Almanac."

Established: 1758
City Population (2000): 369,879
County Population (2000): 1,281,666
Location: South Western Pennsylvania

An average of 3.9 million people visit Pittsburgh annually.

Climate

Average High Temperature (July): 82.5° F
Average Low Temperature (January): 20.8° F

Average temperature in October:  52.4⁰ F

Pittsburgh has a temperate climate, with four seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter). Spring and Fall generally have cool temperatures, Summer is warm and Winter is cold. The winters are usually not extreme, with an average temperature between 20 °F and 30 °F (-7 °C to -1 °C). In spring, the city warms up gradually; summers are moderately warm and somewhat humid. The average temperature during the summer months ranges between 70 °F and 80 °F (16 °C and 21 °C). The average annual rainfall is 36.9 inches (937 mm), and the average annual snowfall is 20.5 inches (52 cm).

University information

Founded in 1787 as a small, private school, the Pittsburgh Academy was located in a log cabin near Pittsburgh’s three rivers. In the 218 years since, the University has evolved into an internationally recognized center of learning and research. The university site http://www.pitt.edu/about.html has a very good interactive tour, which you may like to take.

Travel-airports and access

Airport: The Pittsburgh International Airport was ranked one of the top five U.S. airports by Conde Nast Traveler.

Visitors arriving from the Pittsburgh International Airport approach the city through the Fort Pitt Tunnel and are delivered into a downtown glistening with skyscrapers. Banked on all sides by water and lush green hills, Pittsburgh was described by one New York Times writer as "the only city in America with an entrance."

By car ... from the East: Cars travelling from the east via the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) should take Exit 57 to I-376 West. From I-376 (the "Parkway East") take the "University of Pittsburgh/Oakland/Route 885 North" exit (Exit 3B) onto Bates Street. Stay on Bates until it ends at Bouquet Street, approximately eight-tenths of a mile. Turn left onto Bouquet, then right at the first light onto Forbes Avenue.

... from the West: Cars travelling from the west via the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) should take Exit 28 (Cranberry) and follow I-79 South to I-279 South. Follow I-279 to the "Veteran's Bridge" exit, then exit onto I-579 South. Proceed on I-579 to the "Oakland/Monroeville" exit, and then exit onto the Boulevard of the Allies. Continue on the Boulevard of the Allies for about 1 mile until to see the "Forbes Avenue" exit on your right. Forbes Avenue then leads right into the Pitt campus.

... from the North: Take I-79 South to I-279 South. (You exit to the left off I-79.) Follow I-279 until the "Veteran's Bridge" exit onto I-579 South. Proceed on I-579 to the "Oakland/Monroeville" exit onto the Boulevard of the Allies. Continue on the Boulevard of the Allies for about 1 mile until to see the "Forbes Avenue" exit on your right. Forbes Avenue then leads right into the Pitt campus.

... from the South, including Pittsburgh International Airport: Follow I-79 North to the exit for I-279 North. Take I-279 through the Fort Pitt Tunnels and across the bridge to the I-376 Monroeville Exit (first exit on the right). Follow I-376 to the "Forbes Avenue-Oakland" exit. Forbes Avenue leads right into the Pitt campus.

By public transportation:

Amtrak provides daily service from Pittsburgh to Cleveland, Chicago, Harrisburg, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., via the Capitol Limited and the Three Rivers. Call 1-800-USA-RAIL (800-872-7245) for fare and schedule information.

Greyhound Lines, Inc. operates frequent service to Pittsburgh's main bus terminal, located Downtown at 11th Street and Liberty Avenue. The Pittsburgh Campus can be reached by local PAT buses or by taxi service. Call 1-800-231-2222 for fare and schedule information.

Port Authority of Allegheny County operates the mass transit system serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, including the Pittsburgh Campus. Fares vary within a five-zone system extending in all directions from Downtown Pittsburgh to the outer suburbs. Basic fare is $1.75. Exact change is required.

Taxi costs

Yellow Cab (412-665-8100), Checker Cab (412-664-5600), and People’s Cab (412-441-3200) provide service to the Oakland area. Fares from Downtown are approximately $7, and fares from the airport are approximately $30.

Currency and exchange rates

Currency is US Dollars ($).

Information on the current exchange rate is available at http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Time zone

Eastern (GMT –5)

Other useful links

http://www.pittsburgh.net/visitor_information.cfm
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=418
http://www.pittsburgh.net/

Dialling codes

International country code: + 1 (U.S.A.)
Area codes: 412 / 724 / 878

Map

• http://www.pittsburgh.net/

• http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/maps/