tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792004824896769845.post121026668797037919..comments2023-10-26T10:14:30.017-04:00Comments on "Green is Good": Pittsburgh needs to Advance TransitSchultzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15081403187993259643noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792004824896769845.post-19126608151440624472007-08-10T13:37:00.000-04:002007-08-10T13:37:00.000-04:00James,I agree 100%. The answer here and other cit...James,<BR/><BR/>I agree 100%. The answer here and other cities like Atlanta, has been to build roads and add lanes to highways rather than implement projects like rail extensions. Atlanta's beltway, route 285, is notorious for this. They keep adding lanes, and the congestion keeps getting worse. Expanding their MARTA rail line would make the most sense, as would expanding the coverage of Pittsburgh's T. Unfortunately, the federal money went to the North Shore Connector rather than connecting downtown to Oakland and the eastern neighborhoods. <BR/><BR/>The Mon-Fayette Expressway has been an interesting debate that pits people for economic development in the area against the environmentalists. A connector would come into the city of Pittsburgh over the MON to the 376 parkway near the South Oakland exit. The congestion at this exit is already bad, so this is probably not the best place for the new road to connect to, not the mention this adds another sprawling highway to our riverfront. On the plus side, congestion at the Squirrel Hill Tunnel would be reduced, and the towns in the Mon valley town would no longer have an excuse as to why they have been hurting economically.<BR/><BR/>Interesting that I found this story from the Pittsburgh based Group Against Smog and Pollution <A HREF="http://www.gasp-pgh.org/hotline/fall01-10.html" REL="nofollow">that is in support of the Mon Fayette Connector.</A> Their argument is that it would relieve congestion and provide economic relief to the mon valley towns. I think that there has to be some balance - I'm not sure how you bring that highway into Pittsburgh, but it is essential that another route besides the Squirrel Hill Tunnel route is introduced. <BR/><BR/>My solution is to not bring the Mon Fayette expressway into Pittsburgh, but rather to have a light rail be built along the MLK east busway with an extension of that rail from Wilkinsburg out to the Monroeville.Schultzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15081403187993259643noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792004824896769845.post-59106519111995962212007-08-10T11:56:00.000-04:002007-08-10T11:56:00.000-04:00taaake 2it's not just advance transit that pittsbu...taaake 2<BR/><BR/><BR/>it's not just advance transit that pittsburgh needs - it needs to plan for public transportation. the reason we have huge automobile issues in the united states is because we plan for automobiles - we design roads and cities around them (because we value individuality so highly and few inventions have ever promoted individuality as much as the car... but that's another story).<BR/><BR/>the problem with that is that demand for new road ways is a typical - by increasing the supply, instead of simply lowering the cost (lowering congestion time), you actually raise the demand as well.<BR/><BR/>because of this as pittsburgh continues to develop, it's essential that we accept auto congestion and try to provide other, more efficient (read: public) methods of transportation.James Edward Dillardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05394905488288646634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1792004824896769845.post-68654710087375833242007-08-09T17:38:00.000-04:002007-08-09T17:38:00.000-04:00A really good first step would be to replace the 8...A really good first step would be to replace the 8 out of 9 Port Authority board members who have no public transit experience.<BR/><BR/>No amount of money is going to fix a system run by political appointees who don't see a problem authorizing all sorts of excess benefits for an outgoing CEO. (See yesterday's Post-Gazette for the gory details.)<BR/><BR/>Alternatively, allow them to keep their jobs but require them to ride public transit to and from work every day and require their families to use public transit to get to school, run errands, etc. Then maybe they'd be a bit more interested in fixing problems.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com