PAT posts Transit Development Plan (Pittsburgh, Wilkinsburg: live, cost, bus)

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by JoeLeaphorn

Summerset as a intermediate node in a commuter line from the East to town makes sense and could be done.

Really? What do you have in mind? I've never seen anyone suggest that, even in fairly fanciful ideas of what we could build in the area.

Also, rails attract investment. There are no good examples of where BRT can be shown to have single-handedly stimulated adjacent real estate development. That is not true for rail.

I don't want this to become another BRT versus LRT thread, so I'll just note that the exact same methodology has been used in both cases. In other words, it is impossible to prove that transportation "single-handedly" stimulated development, and I am not even sure why one would care.

[pcc09]

I would think that the number of vehicles/family would be a more accurate measure of wealth than of a city's public transportation system.

[BrianTH]

By the way, I think this TDP is actually indicative of why Summerset is unlikely to get rapid transit of any kind. They actually set up two "rapid corridors" in Squirrel Hill: one coming from the east along Forbes, and one coming from the south along Murray. Those are the exact same routes I have seen in every proposal for rail in this area, which of course makes sense.

[raubre]

I am looking at teh website now and do appreciate it. But I am so confused with the new routes. I live in East Pittsburgh and take the 61A to Squirrel Hill often. What now???? Am I also trapped in suburbia on the weekend (unless I transfer in Wilkinsburg? Nice.... )

Makes me want to move to the city more and more each day now. Thanks PAT!

[raubre]

Just one more quick question, is it just me or does this new revised plan not match the recomendations they made a few months back?

[ryanswindle]

Originally Posted by pcc09

I will say that I agree to an extent with ryanswindle that traffic will always be bad as long as they keep building more roads. In other words, if you build it, they will come. Bigger/more roads will just result in more cars which will result in more traffic.
The thing is, I don't think the plan has all that much construction involved. It's mostly service route changes and stop location changes. It's good to see the city overhauling it's public transit system.

I'm not saying if they build it they will come, I'm saying every single highway, for every single area has been under construction which maintains lanes closed on major thoroughfares since I got here almost 6 months ago.

Somebody can tell me there's been a lot of construction these past 6 months but I get a strong feeling from others I've met here that the major highways in Pittsburgh are *always* under construction.

This plan may not have any construction involved, as I said I didn't look at it. If it doesn't involve construction on already major traffic ways, then I think it's a great idea. But if it does involve construction on already trafficked roadways, then it just explains why I have seen barely any roads without lanes closed causing traffic congestion since I've been here.

[BrianTH]

I must not have been the only person complaining about the map not using the new route numbers. This is now on the website:

Note: The proposed system map shows the proposed routing using the current numbering scheme. The Light Rail, busway and Rapid Bus lines are shown using the proposed color coding system.
The individual route maps will be posted during the week of August 31.

[raubre]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I must not have been the only person complaining about the map not using the new route numbers. This is now on the website:

Why on earth would they use the old route numbers on a new map, when those numbers/routes won't exist?

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by raubre

Why on earth would they use the old route numbers on a new map, when those numbers/routes won't exist?

I really have no idea. My only guess is they thought it would make it easier for people to understand the changes, but it is just making it harder for me to go straight to the information I want in my neighborhood or any other area of interest.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by raubre

I live in East Pittsburgh and take the 61A to Squirrel Hill often. What now???? Am I also trapped in suburbia on the weekend (unless I transfer in Wilkinsburg? Nice.... )

It looks to me like the recommended route would start with taking the 68J (now "P76" or "76" depending on time of day) to the Swissvale Transit Center. You could then transfer and take the 61B ("R2") to Squirrel Hill, or stay on the P76 (during peak times) as it went along the East Busway ("Purple Line") to Wilkinsburg, and then transfer and take the 61A ("R1").

My guess is that if asked, they would suggest that your loss of a direct route may be made up by being able to use the new "Rapid Bus" routes (and part of the Busway/Purple Line at peak times) for the run into Squirrel Hill. Which may be true, but it looks to me like that 76 feeder bus is going to stop running at 10:00PM, and I'm not sure that is what you were looking for on weekends. In fact, the latest-running feeder bus I could find for you to use was the 59A (now "59") from the Swissvale Transit Center, and that only runs to 11:00PM.

So that kinda sucks, if you were planning some long evenings in Squirrel Hill. If that is an issue for you, I'd submit a comment--it seems to me at least one of those feeder routes from Swissvale or Wilkinsburg to East Pittsburgh should run around as late as the R1/R2 (which would be 1:00AM).