Fitzgerald to tour Cleveland's HealthLine bus route (Pittsburgh, Houston: how much, university)

[smallfox]

Per the Post Gazette:

Long, silver vehicles designed to resemble rail cars move up and down a
9-mile corridor in their own reserved lanes, whizzing past traffic lights that
are programmed to give them priority, picking up passengers who have paid their
fares at vending machines in about 40 stations along the route. What was once a 46-minute trip ... now takes 34 minutes.

Since its opening in 2008, ridership has soared. The No. 6 carried 2.6 million
riders in its final year; HealthLine ridership last year was 4.6 million. That
includes people who wouldn't have boarded a conventional city bus on a dare.
It's easy to see why Pittsburgh wants one of these.

Today, a delegation led by Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald will
tour the HealthLine (so designated in a naming-rights deal with Cleveland Clinic
and University Hospitals) and hear presentations about its extraordinary
success. Their hope is to advance plans for a similar service connecting
Downtown and Oakland.

Read more: Cleveland's HealthLine has boosted transit ridership and development - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

[Geeo]

I've seen (but not ridden) the HealthLine in Cleveland, and it is indeed impressive looking. I'm not sure how much of Euclid Avenue has actually changed, but there is some development. The area closest to downtown is still pretty desolate.

I'd love to see the same concept here. My only concern is that this takes up a lot of space. Euclid Ave. is pretty wide, so there was no problem dedicating space for the bus lanes and stations. Fifth and Forbes are much narrower, so it seems that the line would have to be one way going out on Forbes and one way coming in on Fifth. And it would be nice for it to go further than just downtown and Oakland. That corridor already has buses every few minutes. Maybe extend it further out Fifth Avenue into Point Breeze?

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Geeo

Maybe extend it further out Fifth Avenue into Point Breeze?

The problem with this is Fifth Avenue between Oakland and Shadyside (and Point Breeze for that matter) is just two lanes in each direction. If we're going to remove one lane of Fifth Avenue and dedicate it to this mode of transit (let's say an inbound lane) then that leaves three lanes. If we want to ensure cyclists can also safely maneuver in each direction (including the inbound one-lane side) then more adjustments will have to be made.

I just don't think Fifth Avenue is wide enough to accommodate a "complete street" with BRT, biking infrastructure, pedestrian improvements, AND motor vehicles.

[pman]

The service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with trips every six to eight minutes during much of the day

Read more: Cleveland's HealthLine could be model for Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
so what would happen if you took a popular bus line that runs every 30 minutes until midnight and ran it every 8 minutes 24 hours a day?

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by pman

Read more: Cleveland's HealthLine could be model for Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
so what would happen if you took a popular bus line that runs every 30 minutes until midnight and ran it every 8 minutes 24 hours a day?

I'd like to see Pittsburgh make its present BRTs more like the ideal BRT that Cleveland has. Articulated buses with platform level loading/exiting, and off bus ticketing.

I'm baffled though how Cleveland manages 24/7 service. Even Atlanta can't manage to do that. Maybe fiscal reality will eventually cut the hours. The newness factor might partially explain why its going so well in Cleveland. We'll see if it holds up over time.

One thing I didn't like though. In the video, I didn't like the loud roar as the bus drove away. Houston's LRT quietly rolls up and quietly rolls away. And I have to admit, the LRT just looks better.

[AaronPGH]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

I'd like to see Pittsburgh make its present BRTs more like the ideal BRT that Cleveland has. Articulated buses with platform level loading/exiting, and off bus ticketing.

We have this already, now that ConnectCards have arrived? (and real-time GPS tracking is coming to the EBA this summer).

I posted this in the other thread, but it's a little strange that the P-G article holds up the HealthLine and explains it like it's some new thing that Pittsburgh can't wrap it's brain around. The truth is that PGH has far more experience in BRT than most US cities already, and has had it since the 80s. We just need to keep expanding it all and modernizing the old ones.

Also, shout-out to the East Busway for driving me to my job in 10 minutes from Shadyside at 60mph, and never having to wait more than 10 minutes for a bus, ever.

[SammyKhalifa]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I just don't think Fifth Avenue is wide enough to accommodate a "complete street" with BRT, biking infrastructure, pedestrian improvements, AND motor vehicles.

Elevate it, Chicago style.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by AaronPGH

We have this already, now that ConnectCards have arrived? (and real-time GPS tracking is coming to the EBA this summer).

Yes, but do you use the card to pay the fare on or off the BRT bus? I believe at T stations you pay by tapping your card on the platform.

Also, shout-out to the East Busway for driving me to my job in 10 minutes from Shadyside at 60mph, and never having to wait more than 10 minutes for a bus, ever.

But nothing beats an HRT for both speed and comfort. From what I've heard the Federal government won't fund any new HRT systems.

[AaronPGH]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

Yes, but do you use the card to pay the fare on or off the BRT bus? I believe at T stations you pay by tapping your card on the platform.

On the bus.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by pman

Read more: Cleveland's HealthLine could be model for Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
so what would happen if you took a popular bus line that runs every 30 minutes until midnight and ran it every 8 minutes 24 hours a day?

Good point. I wonder if gas and maintenance costs are prohibitive? Still, it must be cheaper than building a light rail line.