Pittsburgh Area Development - Request for Info & Updates (Reading: how much, construction)

[qwerty01]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Bumping this because it's back!

A nice design, though I don't like how the service entrance is on Penn Avenue. I hope they move it to 15th.

Is the new rendering shorter than the previous one?

I agree with others that the design certainly isn't inspiring, but I don't hate it either. I do like the height at least.

We need to expand the T from Union station down the Strip District. Does anyone on here have an extra $B or so they'd like to donate?

[gg]

This looks cool.

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2020...side-highline/

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by gg

This looks cool.

https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2020...side-highline/

Excellent

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by qwerty01

We need to expand the T from Union station down the Strip District. Does anyone on here have an extra $B or so they'd like to donate?

ive said that for years (not being arrogant, just supporting the importance of this concept).

how was this not even "studied" by the City? I mean, on the surface, there seems to be a tremendous benefit, with minimal engineering challenges - the ROW is there, isn't it? its flat, the demand would certainly be there and it could remove a bus or two from Liberty Avenue, which would alleviate traffic delays there....

in a fantasy world, maybe a low(er) speed bus lane could run along the rail line, thereby removign ALL buses from Liberty so the speed demons can enjoy their drive with less danger to an accident.

but with the Audi dealership there at the corner, is it even possible to run the T line down there? their property goes for hundreds of feet towards downtown.

think about it - an expansion could have gotten someone from Mt. Lebanon to the Strip District without even a transfer.

i would support this before any north hills expansion, which has been a popular thing in this forum over the years.

[eschaton]

People are of course well aware of the "abandoned" T station by Penn Station on the East Busway. IIRC this is no longer used because they only have access to a single track, and it's off the main route, meaning there's no real reason to keep this open just for an occasional transfer.

Even if this could be dealt with, expanding the T to the East Busway is a bad idea, because the T is more expensive to operate and much slower than the buses on the P1. Plus the tracks they paved over to make the East Busway are normal-gauge rail, not the special gauge of the T. You'd make considerable capital improvements to end up with worse service. ''

There were serious plans last decade to use an AVRR line to do a private commuter rail line running from New Kensington or Oakmont through Lawrenceville and the Strip District, with the terminus near the convention center. In order to do this they would have had to have built new tracks through part of the Strip however, as the current lines die at the Consumer Fresh Produce building. Buncher's project in the Strip has essentially precluded this from ever happening, as the remainder of the ROW has been destroyed. I suppose it could be rerouted to go down their new street, but I doubt the people who live in those new townhouses want to have commuter rail directly in front of their homes...and they paid quite a lot for them.

[qwerty01]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

ive said that for years (not being arrogant, just supporting the importance of this concept).

how was this not even "studied" by the City? I mean, on the surface, there seems to be a tremendous benefit, with minimal engineering challenges - the ROW is there, isn't it? its flat, the demand would certainly be there and it could remove a bus or two from Liberty Avenue, which would alleviate traffic delays there....

in a fantasy world, maybe a low(er) speed bus lane could run along the rail line, thereby removign ALL buses from Liberty so the speed demons can enjoy their drive with less danger to an accident.

but with the Audi dealership there at the corner, is it even possible to run the T line down there? their property goes for hundreds of feet towards downtown.

think about it - an expansion could have gotten someone from Mt. Lebanon to the Strip District without even a transfer.

i would support this before any north hills expansion, which has been a popular thing in this forum over the years.

Without federal funding the cost is of course too great for our area, but yes I agree at least a study should have been conducted by now to perhaps "get in line" for those federal dollars at some point.

I am by no means an expert in infrastructure, architecture, engineering, and city planning - so please read my proposed route with that in mind! If I were king for a day, I would build the T out from Union station on MLK busway and then use the bus overpass at 26th street. I would then run it down 26th until railroad street and allow mixed use T and vehicles on that stretch until 33rd street. At 33rd, existing right of way for rail lines begins, and could be utilized to run the T through Lawrenceville with a final stop at the zoo.

Perhaps someone more talented than I could draw that on a map, but otherwise you can follow it on Google Maps fairly easily yourself.

PS: Sorry for derailing (pun absolutely intended) my own Pittsburgh development thread with a T expansion that will never happen. It is just a fun hypothetical for me.

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by qwerty01

Without federal funding the cost is of course too great for our area, but yes I agree at least a study should have been conducted by now to perhaps "get in line" for those federal dollars at some point.

....f I were king for a day, I would build the T out from Union station on MLK busway and then use the bus overpass at 26th street. I would then run it down 26th until railroad street and allow mixed use T and vehicles on that stretch until 33rd street. At 33rd, existing right of way for rail lines begins, and could be utilized to run the T through Lawrenceville with a final stop at the zoo. ....

PS: Sorry for derailing (pun absolutely intended) my own Pittsburgh development thread with a T expansion that will never happen. It is just a fun hypothetical for me.

no apologies needed. such a worthwhile, interesting discussion (sentence fragment - but i dont care).
that is exactly what i was thinking, except along and above Liberty Avenue, not on the MLK busway. i mean, literally above that retaining wall, with a few steps/hcap ramp to go from exit to street level. (fantasies)

but for the reasons esch cited, it appears infeasible and not realistic.

plus, the P1s ARE incredible - pre-pandemic, i took a ride out in the late afternoon to enjoy libations, food, and possibly l'amour with a "friend" in Swissvale (on Braddock Avenue's happenin' scene!) and was just amazed that yes the P series are PACKED, but its a very tolerable 15 minutes if that.

the psychological effect knowing that you are MOVING is a positive one....compared to the 61/71s and their endless parade of stops - i really sense that people are....nicer? less bitchy and nasty? because they know that without a catastrophe of any sort, they will be out of downtown and beyond the squirrel hill tunnels in no time.

why havent i ever considered living in swiss/edge/regen sq city side?

[gg]

Originally Posted by eschaton

There were serious plans last decade to use an AVRR line to do a private commuter rail line running from New Kensington or Oakmont through Lawrenceville and the Strip District, with the terminus near the convention center. In order to do this they would have had to have built new tracks through part of the Strip however, as the current lines die at the Consumer Fresh Produce building. Buncher's project in the Strip has essentially precluded this from ever happening, as the remainder of the ROW has been destroyed. I suppose it could be rerouted to go down their new street, but I doubt the people who live in those new townhouses want to have commuter rail directly in front of their homes...and they paid quite a lot for them.

I gotta be honest, the owner of that RR line through Oakmont and down Allegheny River Blvd., is a complete a-hole and clearly stated there is NO WAY any people will be moving on those tracks. He put signs in Oakmont RR pedestrian crossings that state you can't cross there, he fenced off an area that was cleaned by Verona which was full of debris, to make sure no people can be anywhere near it and so-on. If you cycle up that way, you just get to know these things.

Just my take. I thought it would be great to have a people train up to New Ken. It would be actually a very nice riverfront train ride. Ah well.

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by gg

I gotta be honest, the owner of that RR line through Oakmont and down Allegheny River Blvd., is a complete a-hole and clearly stated there is NO WAY any people will be moving on those tracks... If you cycle up that way, you just get to know these things.

wait, what??? how the #$% do you get up there on a bike...without foolish risk to your life????

interesting about the ROW - its incredible that a priv. citizen owns that. we don't know his reasons for that. maybe his life experiences have him very suspicious, or just hostile, to society at large.
if he were donate it, he'd be a hero.

[gg]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

wait, what??? how the #$% do you get up there on a bike...without foolish risk to your life????

interesting about the ROW - its incredible that a priv. citizen owns that. we don't know his reasons for that. maybe his life experiences have him very suspicious, or just hostile, to society at large.
if he were donate it, he'd be a hero.

You can ride the tracks up to Verona if you want to head up to Dirty Harry's. Not for most people to try, but I have done it now and again. The guy has stopped people on those tracks before and yelled at them. He hates people near his tracks. I have a feeling someone got hit by a train or whatever and maybe he had to deal with lawsuits or something. Just guessing. I don't know any train people that want pedestrians roaming around their train tracks. It still amazes me that people get hit by a train. Really amazing.