Statement before the Glenn
A. Walsh
Board
of Health of
Effect
of Public Transit Telephone:
412-561-7876
Service
Reductions Electronic
Mail: < gaw@planetarium.cc >
and Fare Increases 2007
July 11
On
Good afternoon. I am Glenn
A. Walsh of
Over the last several
months, the Allegheny County Health Department has worked hard to convince
public policy makers of the public health hazards of second-hand smoke in
indoor public spaces. Hopefully, your efforts will soon lead to a state-wide
ban on second-hand smoke in most indoor public places.
I wish to call your
attention to another public health hazard: the probable deterioration of air
quality in Allegheny County, due to continual service reductions and fare
increases in public transit service, which leads to increased usage of private
vehicles, and consequently, additional vehicle emissions. Up until now, state
and county public policy makers have only been concerned with the
transportation impacts caused by service reductions and fare increases in the
Port Authority Transit (PAT) system. It is long overdue that a quantitative
study be made of the specific air quality impacts in
The Allegheny County Health
Department is uniquely qualified to conduct such a study. Over several decades,
the Health Department has compiled air quality measurements throughout
Today, I ask that the
Allegheny County Board of Health direct the Allegheny County Health Department
to conduct such a quantitative study of air quality impacts of public transit
service reductions and fare increases. The results of such a study should be
transmitted to the public, the media, and public policy makers on the state and
county levels.
Particularly for a major
urbanized area such as
Thank you.
gaw
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