Statement before Glenn A. Walsh
Board of Directors, P.O. Box 1041
Port Authority of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-1041 U.S.A.
Allegheny
County: Telephone: 412-561-7876
BRT Public Hearing Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
Needed ! Internet Web Site: < http://www.planetarium.cc >
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Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
2017 April 28
Good morning. I am Glenn
A. Walsh, 633 Royce Avenue, Mt. Lebanon, a regular Light Rail and bus rider who
has chosen not to drive a motor vehicle since 1985, to help
save energy, protect the environment, and reduce city traffic congestion. I
have been an active transit advocate for nearly 40 years, including 3 terms on
the Allegheny County Transit Council as a Charter Member. My comments today are
my own and do not reflect those of any organization.
The public participation
process, for the proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project between Downtown and
Oakland, thus far is flawed. At the April 5 public meeting in Oakland, several
people wanted to respond to the presentation, before the assembly. One city
resident had even prepared a written statement to be delivered at the meeting,
with photocopies of the statement for PAT and city officials as well as interested
members of the public. Neither he, nor anyone else, was able to speak before this
assembly.
The meeting format only
allowed public comments at break-out stations, where the staff was only
interested in a person’s preferred routing of four options offered. These
break-out stations were simply set-up to diffuse opposition to the proposed
project.
Before you ask the
public which routing they prefer, the public has the right to weigh-in on
whether BRT is the project they prefer. Apparently, the staff considered
the no-build option and dismissed it out-of-hand. Does not the public have the
right to consider the no-build option, before the commitment of, at least, $240
million public dollars? Further, some people may believe that another transit
mode could better integrate the Downtown – Oakland Line with the Authority’s
current rapid transit system. Should not these people have the opportunity to
express their views on this very important public decision?
Before the BRT public process
goes any further, I, respectfully, ask that this Board of Directors sponsor a
general public hearing on this proposed public transit project.
Thank you.
gaw