What pieces of the puzzle does Pittsburgh lack to be a great city? (Franklin: malls, airport)

[JimboPGH]

Originally Posted by greg42

Anyway, I started as a joke-ish, but it does bring up a point of how much a given place's ability to effect a change is hamstrung by something higher up the chain, namely the state government. It's hard not to think PA's state government is a hinderance to various things. Everyone is going on about transit and transportation infrastructure, which is a prime example (in addition to the booze laws, of course ).

PA out of PGH!

Seriously though, what if Allegheny County functioned as a sort of city-state, legalized pot, became a major trading partner with Boulder, Colorado, and used the proceeds from a cannabis tax to fund a comprehensive light rail system?

Seriously, I'm at least half-serious here: I'd love to see some CMU analytics whiz run the logistics on this.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by JimboPGH

PA out of PGH!

Seriously though, what if Allegheny County functioned as a sort of city-state, legalized pot, became a major trading partner with Boulder, Colorado, and used the proceeds from a cannabis tax to fund a comprehensive light rail system?

Seriously, I'm at least half-serious here: I'd love to see some CMU analytics whiz run the logistics on this.

I just don't see that kind of revenue being generated by a marijuana tax. If 200,000 Allegheny Countians became regular pot smokers each buying $50 a week and there was a 10% tax on it, that would only be $1 Million a week or $52 Million a year.

Even with the most stoned predictions of the future population, I just don't see the kind of money needed for light rail being generated

[JimboPGH]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

I just don't see that kind of revenue being generated by a marijuana tax. If 200,000 Allegheny Countians became regular pot smokers each buying $50 a week and there was a 10% tax on it, that would only be $1 Million a week or $52 Million a year.

Even with the most stoned predictions of the future population, I just don't see the kind of money needed for light rail being generated

Right, but take into account revenue from a pot-growing industry: there's plenty of land available to grow pot in this county. Hell, pretty much the whole Mon Valley, from Hazelwood to Glasport, could be turned into a giant pot farm. Greater Pittsburgh could provide enough herb for every state with medicinal marijuana east of the Mississippi.

And we're not even getting into industrial hemp here, which could be worth exponentially more as an industry. Screw fracking, give me hemp oil heating!

I have no idea if the numbers would add up to make it worth breaking away from the state, but I'd love to see a metrics geek work out the logistics.

[pman]

Originally Posted by greg42

...
Okay, I've got one, if Pittsburgh is going to be a great city then PA needs to legalize pot and ditch the ridiculous liquor laws. At least we have some craft brewing and distilling going on, that part of the law isn't too big of a problem. It's the packaged sales that's a problem.

what's odd is that the main hindrance to changing the liquor laws is Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, the two places that arguably stand to gain the most. the problem is what the public wants is not considered, guys like Jim Ferlo was nothing more than paid appendages of unions and the union does not support privatization OR liberalization.
yes, the state government is a hindrance although Pittsburgh's municipal government didn't exactly do a bang up job before the state stepped in.

[MathmanMathman]

This would be sort of resurrecting an old idea. A proposal was given in the early 1980s for an Allegheny Beltway and a Regional Beltway.

The Pittsburgh Press - Google News Archive Search

Although I'd call the inner loop the Pittsburgh Beltway and the outer the Allegheny Perimeter. The inner loop going around the city more or less and the outer or less just outside Allegheny County. I'd make sure the inner loop goes past the airport. The Mon-Fay is a part of that so all is needed is to complete the loop.

And the other is to complete I-28 as an expressway up to I-80.

Dream of 'nicer commute' genesis of Route 28 | TribLIVE

Expressways work best when connected to other expressways.

After that, I think Pittsburgh would have most of its needed road infrastructure in place.

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

This would be sort of resurrecting an old idea. A proposal was given in the early 1980s for an Allegheny Beltway and a Regional Beltway.

The Pittsburgh Press - Google News Archive Search

Although I'd call the inner loop the Pittsburgh Beltway and the outer the Allegheny Perimeter. The inner loop going around the city more or less and the outer or less just outside Allegheny County. I'd make sure the inner loop goes past the airport. The Mon-Fay is a part of that so all is needed is to complete the loop.

And the other is to complete I-28 as an expressway up to I-80.

Dream of 'nicer commute' genesis of Route 28 | TribLIVE

Expressways work best when connected to other expressways.

After that, I think Pittsburgh would have most of its needed road infrastructure in place.

If the South Beltway and the Monroeville branch of the Mon-Fayette Expressway are built, then that'd give Pittsburgh a "three quarters" beltway from Cranberry clockwise around to Pittsburgh International Airport, using a portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Another person elsewhere suggested extending the Monroeville branch up to the Turnpike via Thompson Run (where there's little development) in order to avoid the Parkway East altogether. Don't expect such a beltway to be completed north of the airport, though, because it'd cut through some of Pittsburgh's richest suburbs and the most expensive real estate in western Pennsylvania (Sewickley, Sewickley Heights, Bell Acres, Franklin Park, Bradford Woods, Marshall Township, possibly Pine Township).

As for PA 28, it'll soon be a four-lane highway all the way down to I-279 and I-579. I don't think it needs to be a limited-access highway between Kittanning and I-80, though, because the traffic levels there don't justify that level of investment in the road. I think it'd be better off simply as a four-lane arterial road, similar to U.S. 22 between Pittsburgh and Altoona.

[pman]

the man fayette expressway is one of the biggest wastes of money in the state

[WhoIsStanwix?]

Originally Posted by Gnutella

As for PA 28, it'll soon be a four-lane highway all the way down to I-279 and I-579. I don't think it needs to be a limited-access highway between Kittanning and I-80, though, because the traffic levels there don't justify that level of investment in the road. I think it'd be better off simply as a four-lane arterial road, similar to U.S. 22 between Pittsburgh and Altoona.

Do you consider 28 a 4 lane highway between Fox Chapel and the Highland Park Bridge? 28 near Pittsburgh needs that section to be improved as well as a link to 279 N.

I agree that north of Kittanning would be better if it were like route 22.

Beyond that, the county needs to vastly improve its public transit system, making better connections between neighborhoods, with a true depot or hub downtown and probably something connecting Oakland directly to more areas. And get rid of the stops twice a block!

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by Gnutella

If the South Beltway and the Monroeville branch of the Mon-Fayette Expressway are built, then that'd give Pittsburgh a "three quarters" beltway from Cranberry clockwise around to Pittsburgh International Airport, using a portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Another person elsewhere suggested extending the Monroeville branch up to the Turnpike via Thompson Run (where there's little development) in order to avoid the Parkway East altogether. Don't expect such a beltway to be completed north of the airport, though, because it'd cut through some of Pittsburgh's richest suburbs and the most expensive real estate in western Pennsylvania (Sewickley, Sewickley Heights, Bell Acres, Franklin Park, Bradford Woods, Marshall Township, possibly Pine Township).

Not crazy about including the Turnpike unless that stretch could be entered and exited in the loop section for free. I prefer the beltway to be a unified route as much as possible without having to merge sections of interstates. I'd still push for a northern section but if not doable then consider a branching off from I-79 after crossing the Ohio to run past the airport

As for PA 28, it'll soon be a four-lane highway all the way down to I-279 and I-579. I don't think it needs to be a limited-access highway between Kittanning and I-80, though, because the traffic levels there don't justify that level of investment in the road. I think it'd be better off simply as a four-lane arterial road, similar to U.S. 22 between Pittsburgh and Altoona.

Same could be said for a lot of expressways through the state in terms of traffic levels. It's just that I-80 is not a great way to get to Pittsburgh as is. Follow Atlanta's model in being a hub for all the surrounding routes and include a beltway to divert traffic that has no reason to go through the city. And I see it also as a way to improve the Allegheny Valley economically. Might even help Butler (town), which has lost almost half of its population since its peak, as it doesn't have a good northeast route.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by pman

the man fayette expressway is one of the biggest wastes of money in the state

Only if it's left incomplete or done half-assed.