apt for young family commuting to downtown business district

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by onwardandupward

Dear Husband and Dear Daughter

Ha, I thought she was referring to some kind of pet that was a year & a half old

[skidmore06]

Thanks for the tips re: Brookline and the west Busway! Hadn't thought of those areas before.

And good points about the possibility of the LTR breaking down. Does that happen very frequently??

[skidmore06]

Originally Posted by guy2073

I took the t for years, backups do not happen much, when they do busses are called out. Bethel park and castle shannon are nice areas. I lived in alvern gardens in castle shannon, it was a short walk to the t. That area is nice because the red, blue, and library lines all travel that section of track. There is No waiting in town, just grab first car.

Great ideas, thanks! Just looked up castle shannon, that area also seems very nice.

[SlurmsMcKenzie]

Originally Posted by skidmore06

Thanks for the tips re: Brookline and the west Busway! Hadn't thought of those areas before.

And good points about the possibility of the LTR breaking down. Does that happen very frequently??

Usually 3-4 times a year for a few hours in the early morning. It is usually weather-related but once in a while there will be a stuck car, downed line, etc...

The busway is very reliable, though you do get stuck in downtown traffic, depending on your schedule. I can be downtown in 15 minutes in the morning, and my commute home is usually around 30 minutes (working a 6:30 - 3:30 schedule).

[Der Schwabe]

Originally Posted by SlurmsMcKenzie

Usually 3-4 times a year for a few hours in the early morning. It is usually weather-related but once in a while there will be a stuck car, downed line, etc...

The busway is very reliable, though you do get stuck in downtown traffic, depending on your schedule. I can be downtown in 15 minutes in the morning, and my commute home is usually around 30 minutes (working a 6:30 - 3:30 schedule).

Though issues do occur, they are rare. There was one morning after an ice storm but even then the delays were only around 20 minutes. The T is usually to the minute reliable and shoots out of town regardless of traffic, which is the serious benefit to consider, especially in the evenings. I've had minor delays no more than 3 or 4 times in the past year of riding the T in the morning rush and shortly after the evening rush. You couldn't pay me to deal with the tunnel traffic instead with the promise of $300+/month parking.

[SlurmsMcKenzie]

Originally Posted by Der Schwabe

Though issues do occur, they are rare. There was one morning after an ice storm but even then the delays were only around 20 minutes. The T is usually to the minute reliable and shoots out of town regardless of traffic, which is the serious benefit to consider, especially in the evenings. I've had minor delays no more than 3 or 4 times in the past year of riding the T in the morning rush and shortly after the evening rush. You couldn't pay me to deal with the tunnel traffic instead with the promise of $300+/month parking.

Agreed. Aligning ourselves close to dedicated public transportation lines was very important to us when choosing a neighborhood. They can cut bus routes but will never cut service via the T or busways. Either method of public transport is very reliable.

[BornSteeler]

You asked if there were other neighborhoods to consider, so I'd say you could also look at North Side neighborhoods to see if they're a good fit for you. May not be walkable to the T, but are a really short drive. And on weekends or evenings, it offers a quick and easy drive into nearly any part of the city or wherever you want to go.

We're in Brighton Heights. Our area is generally quiet, family-oriented, and a little bit suburban feeling. The boyfriend makes the commute to downtown -- quick drive, park, and T. Door to door in under 30 minutes. Parking is cheaper than downtown. Problems with the T service can happen, but are pretty rare. In his opinion, it's great.

Good luck.

[skidmore06]

Thanks for the suggestion re: north side. Door to door in 30 minutes is fantastic! That is definitely my goal to find that as well. Seems like the T breakdowns are fairly uncommon and probably happen less than the number of times per year that I find myself in a huge traffic show stopper in my current area. Day to day sounds pretty good.

So - from the northside - can pedestrians cross over the roberto clemente bridge? Are any of the other bridges pedestrian friendly?

[Lobick]

Originally Posted by skidmore06

So - from the northside - can pedestrians cross over the roberto clemente bridge? Are any of the other bridges pedestrian friendly?

All the bridges from the Northside into downtown are pedestrian friendly. Ft. Duquesne, Clemente (6th), Warhol (7th), Carson (9th) and McCullough (16th) all have segregated sidewalks/ walkways. In addition, the T is free from the north shore into town.

[guy2073]

When it is 10 and the wind is blowing along the river, the t will be your friend.