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2006
January 21
Mr. Henry
Nutbrown
Assistant General Manager of Engineering and Construction
Port Authority of Allegheny County
Heinz 57 Center, Gimbels Landmark Building
345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2527
Subject: Public Comment
Period Response to the Proposed Project Revision of the
Dear Mr.
Nutbrown:
In
general, I approve the proposal to defer construction of a short extension of Port
Authority’s Light Rail Transit Subway System from the Steel Plaza Subway
Station to a proposed new Convention Center Subway Station, to be located in
front of the yet-to-be-constructed new Greyhound Bus Station and parking garage
under Eleventh Street between Liberty and Penn Avenues.
Considering
that an operational Light Rail Transit Station [at-grade station, connected
directly by rail to the Steel Plaza Subway Station] exists less than a block
away, on the other side of the Pennsylvania Railroad Station building, the
construction of another, more expensive underground rail station less than a
block away seems duplicative. In essence, you would simply be moving the Light
Rail passenger station from one side of the Pennsylvania Railroad Station to the
other—and spending a lot more money in the process!
Now, the
rationale for the new Convention Center Subway Station, is quite laudable. I
agree that there should be a good rapid transit connection for people traveling
to and from the new Convention Center. However, this need could and should be
satisfied with the existing, operational Penn Station Light Rail Transit
Station, which, really, is only about a block away from the new Convention
Center!
Now, the
problem is that the Penn Station (also, sometimes referred to as Penn Park
Station) Light Rail Station, although only a block away, is not easily
accessible to the Convention Center due to the complex intersections of three
major streets in this area: Liberty Avenue, Grant Street, and Penn Avenue, along
with Eleventh Street. However, this problem can easily and relatively
inexpensively be resolved with the construction of an elevated walkway between
the Convention Center and Penn Station.
Such an
elevated walkway could connect the Convention Center with several
transportation-related assets in this area:
1) Penn
Station Light Rail Transit Station
2) Penn
Station East Busway Station (which is used by Port Authority of Allegheny
County buses, as well as buses of the Westmoreland County Transit Authority, Beaver
County Transit Authority, and Mid-Mon Valley Transit Authority
3)
a) Amtrak Intercity Trains
b) Possible future commuter
train service from
4)
Greyhound Bus Station (which is used by some other bus companies, as well)
5) Parking
Garage at the Greyhound Bus Station
Mr. Henry
Nutbrown 2006
January 21 Page
2 of 2
6) Westin
Convention Center Hotel in
It is not
known when, or even if, money would become available to eventually construct
the proposed subway extension from the Steel Plaza Subway Station to the
Convention Center. Yet, the need of good public transportation, between
Construction
of an elevated walkway, from the new Convention Center, along or through the
new Greyhound Bus Station, to Penn Station would solve this transportation
problem relatively quickly and relatively inexpensively—certainly much
sooner than the proposed subway link and definitely much, much less expensively
than a subway link!
I
completely agree with the Public Comment Period Response to the Proposed Project
Revision of the North Shore Connector Rapid Transit Extension Project issued by
the Allegheny County Transit Council (ACTC), particularly when they say:
“With
the savings from deferral of an underground light rail line to the Convention
Center, this might be possible within the time and budget constraints, despite
the technical and interagency complications. An elevated walkway appears ideal and
should be considered.”
I also
agree with the ACTC comment:
“3. Deferring
design and construction of the spur to the Convention Center would apparently
also enable use, for some period of time, of existing light rail yard and
storage tracks in the vicinity of the existing terminus of the T line at Penn
Station.”
Sincerely
yours,
Glenn A.
Walsh
gaw
Copy: David Wohlwill