PITTSBURGH -- U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter is supporting Pittsburgh's efforts to get federal funding for the Port Authority's North Shore Connector project.

The two-pronged, 1.6-mile, $390 million extension to the light rail transit system, or "T," would take passengers to the new convention center, PNC Park, Heinz Field, Carnegie Science Center, Warhol Museum, Community College of Allegheny County and the Allegheny West neighborhood.

Specter is a senior member of the senate appropriations subcommittee. Supporters of the project hope that he will be able to persuade his colleagues on Capitol Hill to earmark about $8 million for the project by this fall.

"We're obviously very, very pleased that the senator came to town this morning," PAT CEO Paul Skoutelas said. "He's been a long-time champion for transit projects in southwestern Pennsylvania, and he's helped enormously over the years in terms of advancing all of our projects."

PAT officials said that the $8 million would allow them to move the North Shore Connector project into the final design stage.

They hope to have the extension built by 2005.

For more on the North Shore Connector project, click here.