Glenn A. Walsh
633 Royce Avenue
Pittsburgh PA 15243-1149
Telephone: 412-561-7876
Electronic Mail: < gaw@planetarium.cc >
Response to Proposals Included in 2021 Draft PAT Long-Range Plan
2021 August
Project 0: Bus Garage Location and Capacity Study
Of course, first I have to mention that there is a closed PAT garage in Harmar Township which could possibly be re-used.
Regarding Light Rail Transit equipment storage expansion - Two options should be considered:
a) Utilize PAT-owned property at the former Drake Loop and adjacent right-of-way. Additional property adjacent to the former Drake Loop could possibly be purchased if necessary.
b) Likewise, property adjacent to the current Library Station and park-and-ride lot could possibly be purchased for use.
c) If Drake Loop and Library Station properties are not available, there may be other property along the Drake or Silver / Library lines which could be available.
Project 1: East / Central Pittsburgh River to River Connection
I support the proposal for an East Busway Station at 21st Street, regardless of whether the aerial tram system comes to fruition.
Project 2: Downtown Transit Center
At the current time, PAT has three mini-transit hubs -
Wood Street T Station
Penn Station
Smithfield Street at Sixth Avenue Shelter
Additionally, a fourth mini-transit hub, possibly for West End buses, seems to be forming at the Stanwix Street at Forbes Avenue Platform.
According to Caitlin Fadgen, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership Director of Economic Development Initiatives, in a recent article on the technical.ly Internet web-site, when discussing availabilities in Downtown: “We have a lot of office product, but we we don’t necessarily have empty parcels of land where you could build a new office campus or something like that.” (Article reference: Link >>> https://technical.ly/pittsburgh/2021/08/16/delta-pedestrian-traffic-offices-business-districts/ ).
For a major Downtown Transit Hub, it seems the only place Downtown, which would have enough space for such a hub is at Penn Station. PAT already owns a lot of the property at Penn Station, and operator rest facilities and the PAT Police Station already exist at Penn Station.
Of course, the establishment of a Downtown Transit Hub at Penn Station would necessitate the re-establishment of T-Rail service to Penn Station from Steel Plaza, to allow easy access to Penn Station from most of Downtown, North Side, and Station Square.
Such a Downtown Transit Hub at Penn Station would become even more valuable, if it included my 2005 proposal (approved by the Allegheny County Transit Council) for an enclosed and elevated pedestrian walkway from the north end of Penn Station to the Convention Center, with a connection to the Greyhound Bus Station / Parking Authority Parking Garage. At the following Internet link is a description of my 2005 proposal:
Link >>> https://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit/ACTC-elevated_walkway.htm
Project 3: Library Line Best Use Study
Does PAT wish to be a county-wide transit system or a transit system which only serves the city and nearby suburbs? Further down-sizing of the PAT Rail System (after the shutting-down of the Drake, Allentown, and Penn Station Light Rail Lines, as well as the PATrain to McKeesport and the Mon Valley) would mean PAT does not value the outer suburbs within Allegheny County. Just this month (i.e. 2021 August), the U.S. Census Bureau announced that the population of Allegheny County has increased over the last ten years, for the first time in decades.
Why should county residents in these far-flung southern suburbs support PAT with their tax dollars? At best, these residents would have to ride a bus and spend additional time transferring at Washington Junction.
It seems to me that saying there is an “imminent need for $450 million of infrastructure upgrades to ensure the safety and reliability” of the Washington Junction to Library segment of the Silver Line, is a way of bureaucratically pre-deciding to terminate this rail line (very similar to the decision to shut-down the PATrain in 1989). I find this outrageous!
It seems to me that a smaller amount of money, spent over several years, would be sufficient to maintain this segment of the Silver Line safely and reliably.
Project 5: Allentown / Downtown LRT Best Use Study
I strongly support re-use of the Brown Line / Allentown Line for revenue service, as I supported it in 2018 (see support blog article at Link >>> https://transportwatchtower.blogspot.com/2018/10/restore-pittsburgh-brown-line-rail.html ).
I also strongly support the re-establishment of rail service on the Penn Station Line. Such service would be even more greatly justified by establishing a Downtown Transit Hub at Penn Station, and constructing an enclosed and elevated pedestrian walkway between the north end of Penn Station and the Convention Center, with a connection to the Greyhound Bus Station / Parking Authority Parking Garage, as outlined in my response to Project 2.
Project 9: Allegheny Valley Rapid Transit
I support extension of Light Rail Transit from Penn Station up along the Allegheny Valley. However, on-street operation of Light Rail Vehicles crossing busy Smallman Street, Penn Avenue, and Liberty Avenue, particularly during rush-hours, would negate the rapid transit aspect of the Allegheny Valley Rapid Transit. Why spend all this money to provide rapid transit to the Allegheny Valley, just to have this rapid transit system bogged-down, congested, and delayed by on-street traffic in the Lower Strip District?
Project 10: Airport Corridor Rapid Transit
One reason the North Shore Connector was extended to Allegheny Station, and the reason at this point the rail right-of-way transitioned from underground to elevated, was for a possible Light Rail Transit extension to the Airport. This should still be considered.
Such a rail line should include a stop at the historic Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Station in Coraopolis, that is being rehabilitated.
Project 12: Ohio River Light Rail Extension
I support studying the possibility of this Light Rail Extension.
Project 13: North Side Light Rail Extension
An extension of the Light Rail Subway, which would include subway stations in Allegheny Center / Nova Place and at Allegheny General Hospital, should be advanced as quickly as possible. Allegheny General Hospital would provide a great boost in Light Rail ridership. I also support studying an extension of the Light Rail service along the Perrysville Avenue corridor.
Project 14: North Hills Rapid Transit
An extension of the Light Rail System, along the North Side HOV Lane, should be considered.
Internet Link to Additional Information ---
2021 Draft PAT Long-Range Plan:
Source:
Glenn A. Walsh Reporting for TransportWatchtower.
Wednesday, 2021 August 18.
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Glenn A. Walsh, Informal Science Educator &
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Formerly
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from 1939 to 1991.
Formerly Trustee, Andrew Carnegie Free Library
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