What's Getting Built: The Capital Plan
A $0.85B investment in Pittsburgh's infrastructure
While the operating budget covers day-to-day expenses, Pittsburgh's capital budget funds long-term infrastructure: road repairs, bridge rehabilitation, building renovations, vehicle purchases, and technology upgrades. The six-year plan (2026-2031) totals $0.85B, with $112.3M planned for 2026 alone.
How it's funded
Funding by Source (2026-2031)
Capital spending is funded from multiple sources, each with different constraints:
- BOND — $51.0M in 2026 (long-term borrowing, repaid through debt service)
- OTHER — $27.8M in 2026 (other federal, state, or grant funding)
- PAYGO — $21.0M in 2026 (pay-as-you-go from operating revenue)
- CDBG — $12.5M in 2026 (federal Community Development Block Grant)
Biggest capital projects in 2026
| Project | 2026 | 6-Year Total |
|---|---|---|
| CAPITAL EQUIPMENT ACQUISITION | $16.7M | $35.2M |
| STREET RESURFACING | $16.2M | $120.6M |
| FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS - RECREATION AND SENIOR CENTERS | $9.5M | $56.2M |
| PARK RECONSTRUCTION | $7.1M | $70.8M |
| COMPLETE STREETS | $6.7M | $17.2M |
| BRIDGE PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION FUND (TIP) | $6.4M | $12.1M |
| SLOPE FAILURE REMEDIATION | $5.3M | $20.3M |
| FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS - PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES | $5.0M | $26.4M |
Operating vs. Capital: what's the difference?
Think of the operating budget as your household's monthly expenses — groceries, utilities, rent. The capital budget is like saving up for a new roof or renovating the kitchen. Operating costs recur every year; capital projects are one-time investments in long-lived assets.
The two budgets interact: bond-funded capital projects create debt service obligations that show up in the operating budget for years to come. And PAYGO capital spending directly reduces money available for operations.
Browse all projects: The Capital Budget section has the complete project list with six-year funding breakdowns.