Jonathan B.
Robison
154 N.
Bellefield Av. #66 Pittsburgh, PA
15213
412-683-0237 jon@jonrobison.org
MEMORANDUM
TO: ACTC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE
FROM: JONATHAN ROBISON, COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON
SUBJ: COMMITTEE ACTION AT MEETING 3/22/06
DTD: MARCH 26, 2006
These are notes on the actions taken by the Long Range Planning Committee at our last meeting. If my notes or wording is inaccurate, would the members who were present please send corrections. Committee actions #1 and #2 are recommendations for approval by the full membership of ACTC. Action #3 is a recommendation for action by the Executive Committee,
1} Resolution recommended to the full ACTC
Resolution Regarding
Easier Pedestrian Access between the
Whereas, the Port Authority of Allegheny County recently found it necessary, due to limited financial resources, to defer construction of a proposed subway spur which would have served the David L. Lawrence Convention Center; and
Whereas, without construction of this subway spur, conventioneers and other visitors to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center will have no direct pedestrian access to the Pittsburgh Light Rail Rapid Transit System; and
Whereas, easy and quick pedestrian access between the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and the Pittsburgh Light Rail Rapid Transit System would be extremely beneficial to conventioneers and other visitors to the Convention Center, as well as to other pedestrians in this area of the Pittsburgh Golden Triangle, and make the Convention Center more marketable to potential tenants; and
Whereas, access to the existing Rapid Transit Station located at the Pennsylvania Railroad Station (“Penn Station”), located only a block from the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, is limited by two major streets and several dangerous intersections; and
Whereas, construction of an elevated pedestrian walkway between the David L. Lawrence Convention Center and Penn Station would be a financially-reasonable and pedestrian-friendly solution to provide conventioneers and other visitors to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center with easy and quick access to the Pittsburgh Light Rail Rapid Transit System via the rapid transit system’s station at Penn Station; and
Whereas, such an elevated pedestrian walkway could also easily connect the Westin Convention Center Hotel (which includes a bus stop for buses to the Airport), Liberty Center office tower, the under-construction new Greyhound Bus Terminal (which will include a large parking garage), Port Authority’s Martin Luther King, Jr. East Busway, and Amtrak’s Pittsburgh terminal at Penn Station (which may also be the future terminal of commuter train service from Westmoreland County and/or the Allegheny/Kiski Valley); and
Whereas, construction of such an elevated pedestrian walkway would be a major project, the planning of which should include all agencies and institutions representing interested parties, including (but not limited to) the Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh, Port Authority of Allegheny County, and Allegheny County Transit Council, and also include the public at-large via public meetings in the Convention Center/Penn Station area.
Now, therefore be it resolved, that the Long-Range Planning Committee of the Allegheny County Transit Council does hereby propose and recommends that the Port Authority of Allegheny County, the Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County construct such an elevated pedestrian walkway, to ensure easy and quick access between the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the Amtrak station, the new Greyhound station, and the Pittsburgh Light Rail Rapid Transit System station at Penn Station.
And, therefore be it further resolved, that an Elevated Walkway Task Force be formed, to include all agencies and institutions representing interested parties, including (but not limited to) the Sports and Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh, Port Authority of Allegheny County, and Allegheny County Transit Council, for the planning of such an Elevated Pedestrian Walkway, and that such Task Force hold public planning meetings on the project in the Convention Center/Penn Station area.
(redrafted by Glenn Walsh and approved by a unanimous vote of the Committee)
2} Resolution recommended to the full ACTC
The ACTC
supports the intent of resolution, “A Step Towards Good Transportation in
3} Resolution recommended for action by the
Executive Committee of the ACTC
Allegheny
County Executive Dan Onorato has appointed a 14 member “Transportation Action
Team” to propose to him action on six specific points. Report4edly, the recommendation to the
The committee unanimously recommends that the Executive Committee suggest that Don Onorato add to the team community transportation representatives including representation of the ACTC.
The committee further recommends that the Executive Committee respectfully request a prompt response in view of the rapid action being asked of the Transportation Action Team.
The consensus of the committee was to defer action on the North Shore Extension of the T Light Rail line until we know how the Port Authority will deal with the latest bids in excess of the approved funding. The committee did vote 3-1 with one abstention, that if the Port Authority cannot quickly identify source of additional funds for the shortfall, the Port Authority should make modifications in the plan to reduce costs. Possible modifications include deferring the Allegheny Station at the planned end of the route or relocating that station to avoid the cost of acquisition of Carnegie property.
The committee also heard and discussed a report by Jon Smith on doings of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, particularly a Regional Transit Priority Projects list developed by its Transit Operator’s Committee sub-group.