What pieces of the puzzle does Pittsburgh lack to be a great city? (York: move to, bars)

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by Devout Urbanist

Yet 30 percent of people who live in Pittsburgh don't even own cars. That's pretty high. Of course, everyone does not have to join the ranks of that 30 percent but I think that 30 percent deserves access to a much better system. .

That is a figure just for the City of Pittsburgh proper.

The numbers for the whole county and metro area are a lot less.

[zman63]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

County taxes pay for the courts, jails, sheriff, medical examiners, roads (some of which are in the city) as well as county parks.

BTW, each other subdivision- not just the city- has parks and pools.

You can talk about "same chance", but I think a lot of the excellence of areas that have really invested in public education would evaporate if they were all merged into a single, distant conglomerate.

You are entitled to your opinion. I am willing to bet we are much closer to school districts and governments merging than we are to extend light rail throughout the county.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Devout Urbanist

New York City isn't that unique. Surely you noticed that it was not the only city I mentioned.

Yet 30 percent of people who live in Pittsburgh don't even own cars. That's pretty high. Of course, everyone does not have to join the ranks of that 30 percent but I think that 30 percent deserves access to a much better system. No one said anything about "designing a system for just a single suburb," which would be ludicrous. Pittsburgh does not have to "duplicate" New York's system. The country's top transit systems are not all the same. Pittsburgh could easily adopt policies from various places and create a unique system that does a much better job of serving local residents.

NYC is quite unique. The transportation there is amazing and on many levels, but that doesn't apply to a small city like Pittsburgh. Sure more options would be nice, but buses are about all we are going to get for the most part and a few runs with the T.

That 30% you are talking about is not due to choice. It is due to poverty. The amount of poverty in our city limits is huge, which kills the Pittsburgh Schools. You have these magnets here and there to try and rid the kids that have home lives that are just about surviving the day.

[zman63]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

That is a figure just for the City of Pittsburgh proper.

The numbers for the whole county and metro area are a lot less.

Then why extend the light rail and bus system past the city?

[zman63]

So how mad are suburbanites going to be if the city starts to consolidate with the county and some of the left over money goes to help pay the debt of the city school district or pension fund? There is a good chance of that happening.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by zman63

Then why extend the light rail and bus system past the city?

There are a fair number of city residents who work in the suburbs, and many are poor and take buses every day out to their jobs at the airport, and in the north and south suburbs.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by zman63

So how mad are suburbanites going to be if the city starts to consolidate with the county and some of the left over money goes to help pay the debt of the city school district or pension fund? There is a good chance of that happening.

Why do you think there would be "left over" money at all? The city government isn't that great, I can't see the merging of all of these governments, and all of their facilities and departments running that smoothly.

[pman]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

NYC is quite unique. The transportation there is amazing and on many levels, but that doesn't apply to a small city like Pittsburgh. Sure more options would be nice, but buses are about all we are going to get for the most part and a few runs with the T.

That 30% you are talking about is not due to choice. It is due to poverty. The amount of poverty in our city limits is huge, which kills the Pittsburgh Schools. You have these magnets here and there to try and rid the kids that have home lives that are just about surviving the day.

Portland's blue line carries 65k riders per day, there's no reason why a good line Pittsburgh couldn't do the same and that's not a number to be embarrassed about. ftr the spine line was estimated to be about 80k riders per day, more than double the east busway

[zman63]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

Why do you think there would be "left over" money at all? The city government isn't that great, I can't see the merging of all of these governments, and all of their facilities and departments running that smoothly.

There won't be leftover money. The wexford residents pay county taxes. If the city and county merge some departments and share then the wexford county tax dollars will go to pay for city services or debt.

[ipaper]

its already a great city, its home to my Pittsburgh steelers and six superbowl wins.