BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

from the article:

It could be cheaper and more effective to ease congestion by looking for ways to reduce demand instead of meet it, Harries said. Possibilities could include so-called congestion pricing — imposing tolls during peak traffic periods — or improving alternate routes to make them more attractive to motorists. Some cities have removed parking spaces and increased transit options into particularly congested areas to reduce traffic.

now we're talking! it's not that long ago that this sort of thing would not have even come up in the conversation. it's nice to see that "build another highway" isn't necessarily the solution to every traffic problem any more.

This is what happens when the city has no representation. You get County government advocating for state DOT infrastructure that is wholly a suburban traffic issue within the city. County government should focus on having their services and Authorities not compete against each other.

Eliminating the Banksville and Greentree interchanges completely, then the outbound ramp from Liberty avenue downtown. This would move - not eliminate - the congestion away from the Fort Pitt Bridge.

What is Fitzgerald thinking? Somebody needs to get him straightened out. More roads do not reduce congestion. Anyway, congestion in Pgh is nothing compared to other metropolitan areas, I don't buy at all what the quoted study came up with, 8th most congested. Nonsense. A couple hours a day we have some congestion, woop.

At least the professor quoted, Kent Harries, seems to have some sense.

They should install big people movers like

they have at the airport. Those would be a bit

faster than what is currently there.

They should dig a tunnel under the river, wait...

How about building something like the T that goes from the airport to the city? Less cars. Less pollution. Less wear on the roads. Probably a faster commute.

Maybe instead of a T, they could work with levitation. Unfortunately, seems like that died with Arlen Specter.

$28 million...to PLAN?

Should've started my own civil engineering firm...

@stefb How about building something like the T that goes from the airport to the city?

They already have a busway out in that direction.

But if they were going to put a bike trail next to a T-like thing going to the airport, I would be SO contacting all my legislators in favor of it.

@Mick Are talking about the West Busway?

It starts here:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=15219&hl=en&ll=40.451854,-80.040647&spn=0.006262,0.012188&sll=41.117935,-77.604698&sspn=6.34673,12.480469&hnear=Pittsburgh,+Pennsylvania+15219&t=h&z=17

and ends here(just past Carnigue exit):

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=15219&hl=en&ll=40.405637,-80.090085&spn=0.006266,0.012188&sll=41.117935,-77.604698&sspn=6.34673,12.480469&hnear=Pittsburgh,+Pennsylvania+15219&t=h&z=17

It's pretty short and it ends far away from airport.

Fitz needs educated. About this time last year, we were up in arms about the stupid design plans for rebuilding West Carson Street. The essence of my input was that there's so much to do out that end of town, it is difficult to know where to stop once you start building anything. All they *really* needed to do was rebuild one aged bridge on WCarson itself.

If you want to make it easier for people to get west of town, get behind the concept of connecting West Liberty Ave with Esplen using an old railroad right-of-way, intersecting with the Wabash Tunnel. BY BICYCLE. Cars can already get to Wabash using 51 and Woodruff.

@Stew- Fitz is a very smart guy and this strange comment about a new Tunnel seems out of character. There must be some sort of huge pot of Federal money available for a project that needs a home.

@stu - What ever happened to that redesign of west carson st?

@ Benzo -

Mackin Engineering is doing a study that includes that part of W. Carson. A guy called me and did a phone interview on my use of the corridor. These guys actually rode the corridor in question ON BIKES! Which is about the most excellent thing I have ever heard of Traffic Engineers doing. I have hopes. Don't know when the study is due out.

edit - Just remembered there is PennDot work scheduled through there that performed the perfunctory public comment phase, included the least possible traffic calming measures and bike/ped accommodations, and they will probably not tell the public anything else about it until cones go out and nothing can be changed. So it will suck.

Oh the irony

Fitz needs educated.

Yinz not from here, correct grammar is correct.

He says the same thing during this meeting:

http://www.alleghenycounty.us/council/minutes/2012/meet20121016.pdf

Search tunnel; I would have copied and pasted, but the damn document is protected or something

James Ellenbogen, who is the councilmen for kind of out that way, suggested trains in another part of the meeting

Having a third "lane" for LRT would be pretty cool

About midway through the meeting he recognizes the desire for alternative modes of transportation with a kind of "kids say the darndest things/when I was a kid" tone

"And you're right, the Parkway West is jammed. We need a third lane. That's one of the things we've got to take a look at. We've got to knock another hole in the tunnel to --- and we've got to work with our friends in PennDOT to do that, because the growth out there is just --- it's incredible. And now with the cracker plant, you know, a few miles West of that, it's going to add to it even more. So it's all good stuff."

Great, more car traffic, add more lanes to the Parkway, all good stuff. There's nothing like traffic.