PITTSBURGH — The new light rail linking Pittsburgh’s downtown with its North Shore is open, ferrying passengers under the Allegheny River.

The North Shore Connector began running Sunday morning. The rail line serves the city’s baseball and football stadiums, the Rivers Casino, the Carnegie Science Center and Point State Park.

Riders can use the new line for free for three years because of agreements involving the Steelers, the casino, the Pittsburgh Stadium Authority and a parking company.

Officials with the Port Authority of Allegheny County say 80 to 90 people were on board for the maiden 1.2-mile voyage.

Planning for the $517-million project began in the mid-1990s.