Pittsburgh Regional Transit can begin a more detailed look at one of its most intriguing projects — which could use suspended cable cars — as a result of a federal grant.

The agency learned Thursday it will receive a $594,000 grant to begin studying a new transit corridor linking the Strip District, Hill District, Oakland, Hazelwood and Carrick/Overbrook. PRT had identified establishing the new corridor as a top priority last year when it released its 25-year plan called NEXTransit because it would directly link additional neighborhoods with Oakland, one of the biggest employment centers in the state with its concentration of universities and hospitals…

One of the intriguing aspects of the proposed corridor is that it could use an incline or suspended cable car system to move passengers from the Strip District to the Hill District and Oakland. Right now, there is no easy route for buses to make that trip because of the steep slope between the two areas.