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Old 07-20-2013, 06:05 PM
 
Location: South Oakland, Pittsburgh, PA
875 posts, read 1,482,426 times
Reputation: 285

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The folks over at Bike Pittsburgh were not very pleased at this plan. Evidently PennDOT had "public meetings" to discuss the specifics of the plan and to hear and community input regarding it. Many of them attended these meetings and STRONGLY pushed for a PROTECTED cycling track along this stretch (because honestly it doesn't look like we're going to be seeing a new river trail right alongside the water below the train tracks along this stretch anytime soon) and PennDOT allegedly seemed to be willing to take that into consideration, but it was simply completely ignored at the end of the day. Sharrows work on slow-speed city streets, but they're nothing more than a pittance in a project like this once West Carson returns to the drag strip it's always been. Looks like West End/Rocks cyclists are left up "You Know What" Creek without a paddle again.

Even I'm not sure why the protected lane/track couldn't be considered. A cycling track by the way is a completely protected two-way bike lane, basically a "road" for bikes and bikes only. I can't honestly defend why West Carson needs more than one lane in each direction along this stretch along with a middle turning lane for the busway ramp, Corliss Tunnel and toward the end near Esplen.
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Old 07-21-2013, 08:40 AM
 
5,722 posts, read 5,771,456 times
Reputation: 4381
I am concerned if it will effect the west busway as well. There is nothing on the port authority website about it currently. The bus goes under the West End Bridge road and then when it gets on the busway it goes over top of Corliss street so those two things might save it. If you're driving West Carson to Saw Mill Run has always been a great option for getting out of the city. I hope this doesn't screw it up too much or make tunnel traffic worse than it already gets. For some reason I'm foreseeing the worst like traffic backed up clear to Station Square or something.

"The project will cause outbound detours for several Port Authority bus routes that use West Carson and the West Busway. There will be no access to the busway entrance at West Carson for outbound buses after the project begins."

Ohhh that's just peachy well looks like it's time to go back to working in the suburbs

Last edited by wanderlust76; 07-21-2013 at 08:49 AM..
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Old 07-21-2013, 09:06 AM
 
1,146 posts, read 1,404,647 times
Reputation: 896
Quote:
Originally Posted by wanderlust76 View Post
I am concerned if it will effect the west busway as well. There is nothing on the port authority website about it currently. The bus goes under the West End Bridge road and then when it gets on the busway it goes over top of Corliss street so those two things might save it. If you're driving West Carson to Saw Mill Run has always been a great option for getting out of the city. I hope this doesn't screw it up too much or make tunnel traffic worse than it already gets. For some reason I'm foreseeing the worst like traffic backed up clear to Station Square or something.

"The project will cause outbound detours for several Port Authority bus routes that use West Carson and the West Busway. There will be no access to the busway entrance at West Carson for outbound buses after the project begins."

Ohhh that's just peachy well looks like it's time to go back to working in the suburbs
I'm not even sure which detour PAT should use. If the buses follow the posted detour, they will get stuck in detour traffic and add travel time and impact service. I guess they could find a way to detour through Crafton and get on the Busway there, but what about the stations before Crafton? Hopefully PennDOT gave PAT advance warning and PAT has been planning a detour. Even so, if you have to catch the 28X to the airport you better give yourself lots of extra time. I am looking at a map and there isn't really a good way to detour towards the Airport without using already congested routes, going way out of the way, or residential areas. Ugh.

The original plans for the West Busway had it traveling over a separate bridge to directly connect with Downtown. That is a shame it never happened.
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Old 07-21-2013, 09:42 AM
 
5,722 posts, read 5,771,456 times
Reputation: 4381
If they can't get to Steuben Street they're screwed I don't see how else they can do it either. The article says it's going to be closed at the West End Bridge intersection so that means no Steuben Street. The west busway was one of the best things they ever did now it's ruined for who knows how long.
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Old 07-22-2013, 08:00 PM
 
480 posts, read 608,331 times
Reputation: 234
Quote:
Originally Posted by eschaton View Post
I wonder if this will be the final nail in the coffin for Esplen. Not great for Sheraden either.

What the hell are they going to do with buses which use the West Busway. I've been taking the 28X to the airport as of late, and it seems it will be totally screwed on the return trip to Pittsburgh. Maybe they'll route it down Chartiers?
Sheraden and Esplen have been dead for years anyway.
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Old 08-03-2013, 01:33 PM
 
5,722 posts, read 5,771,456 times
Reputation: 4381
This construction started today officially. The details on the bus detours are on the Port Authority webpage. Interested to see how this is going to effect Steuben Street on the inbound which has been a long time favorite as far as alternate routes into downtown. All in all I don't think it's going to be pretty all around. Suddenly the tunnels aren't looking so bad.
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Old 08-05-2013, 08:16 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
1,035 posts, read 1,546,421 times
Reputation: 775
My biggest bit of curiosity is the "new" traffic signal they installed at the 51/West Carson underpass of the West End Bridge. I can't figure out the point of the signal. It's only stopping traffic coming from inbound West Carson which would proceed under the West End Bridge as usual and traffic coming to and from the West End Circle...which flowed normally prior to construction. The response I got on Twitter was:

"@PennDOTNews: As the road was one-way prior to construction, we installed the light so that local businesses have access with two-way traffic."

I don't really understand that. The only "one-way" roads would have been the underpass to 51/W Carson NB toward McKees Rocks and the underpass to 837/W Carson toward Station Square. The only thing that has changed is that traffic cannot go under the West End Bridge using the underpass for 51NB/W Carson toward McKees Rocks. So essentially this light is stopping traffic coming toward Station Square using the untouched, "inbound" underpass, traffic coming out of the West End Circle toward Station Square, and traffic going toward the West End Circle...which flowed that way without a light prior to construction. We now have a double light because if you're heading toward the circle, you can hit this "new" light and then the usual lights AT the circle. Can anyone on here better explain the response I got from PennDOT? I could be missing something, so if I am, point it out! I replied to their tweet, but haven't received a follow-up response yet.

I can safely say that this morning, I think a lot of people may have assumed all of West Carson was closed. I always come down Corliss to West Carson versus take Steuben in. There wasn't an ounce of traffic on Corliss. Corliss usually would back up to Chartiers and take 10 - 15 minutes to get through. I didn't even have a one light delay...got right on to West Carson!
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Old 08-05-2013, 12:12 PM
 
Location: Center Township (Pittsburgh), PA
556 posts, read 1,222,736 times
Reputation: 362
I ride the BCTA route 4 into the city. They are taking the tunnels in and out, They are claiming their buses are too wide to use the inbound lane of West Carson.

From what I see port authority is saying the G3 is using the bus way, they use the same style bus as the BCTA does. Grrr
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Old 08-05-2013, 06:00 PM
 
Location: Crafton, PA
1,173 posts, read 2,176,185 times
Reputation: 623
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pghuser View Post
Sheraden and Esplen have been dead for years anyway.
Sheraden (along with Crafton) is the busiest stop on the busway before reaching Carnegie. Explain to me how that is "dead".
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Old 08-05-2013, 06:11 PM
 
255 posts, read 282,817 times
Reputation: 162
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl View Post

6 days to complete in Japan. Just a friendly reminder of how laughably inefficient we are.
If you look at the picture on the left you will see three green signs. In between those signs the road looks good and before them the road is destroyed. The picture on the right shows the road only between the signs. The damage now out of frame.
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