Allegheny
As stated
in Section 1.3 of the Environmental Report, the revisions to the project were
necessary to “allow it to be completed within the $393 million budget, and …
satisfy the need for a rapid transit link between the Golden Triangle and the
The
Allegheny County Transit Council (ACTC), the official citizen advisory body to
the Port Authority, is in general support of the Port Authority’s Environmental
Report. In responding to the
Environmental Report we support the Port Authority’s evident intent to proceed
without delay to “satisfy the need for a rapid transit link between the Golden
Triangle and the
There are three areas where the Environmental Report and the project plans could be strengthened.
1. There should be study of and contingency planning for a walkway
to the
Such
a walkway would diminish the hazard as well as congestion and delay from the
dangerous pedestrian crossings from the Convention Center to
The project design study should consider the possibility of a grade-separated walkway traversing the hazardous intersection. 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
2. The Environmental Report in Section 1.3,
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.
Respectfully
Submitted, Jonathan B. Robison 412-683-0237
jon@jonrobison.org
Passed by the ACTC, as amended, Jan. 18,
2006.