May 2012- Transit News and Events

MovePGH

 MovePGH is the transportation component of the City's initiative to reinvent and redesign its neighborhoods as modern, vibrant , global and diverse communities. A series of workshops that invites community members and stakeholders to the discussion table, MovePGH is looking for ways in which it can redesign the city's transportation infrastructure in order to improve traffic flow. The design is considering alternative modes of transportation such as improving cyclist and pedestrian safety and access.

The Community Workshop #2 that took place in South Side between May 14- May 17 focused on transportation issues related to Downtown, Lower Hill, Uptown , South Side Flats and the Second Ave corridor. Ana Bayne , the Chair of the PR/Marketing Committee participated in a interesting discussion about ways to improve cyclist safety in the South Side Flats with  two members of BikePgh and two members of the Plan Study Team. Another topic that was covered during her hour long conversation with the MovePGH team was the Downtown-Oakland BRT project and its potential to improve peak traffic flow Uptown. 

If you are interested in the city's transportation future and you think that your opinions and experiences can make an impact, we suggest that you attend the third MovePGH community workshop , scheduled for mid- June. For more information on the Community Workshop #3 click here.

If you are interested to find more about the Downtown-Oakland BRT project and its impact on Uptown traffic flow or Hill District's development,  you should visit the Get There PGH website and attend a public meeting.

ConnectCard

The Port Authority started its customer pilot program for the ConnectCard. The pilot program will test market the ConnectCard before the new product will be officially launched for all riders this fall.

If you are a regular rider you can participate in this program and test the ConnectCard before everybody else whether you use monthly, weekly passes or you purchase tickets or pay cash. In order to participate in the program you need sign up online at ConnectCard.org .

Riders chosen to be part of the pilot program will receive a free card by mail,  instructions on how to use it and where to load it. The  participants  in the pilot program will also receive a booklet they can use in order to provide the Port Authority with input on the ConnectCard. Participants are also eligible to be entered in a drawing for a free monthly pass.

Harrisburg Trip

On May 22 ACTC members joined PA Interfaith Impact Network  on their trip to Harrisburg, where they confronted Governor Corbett on two hot issues for Allegheny County- transit and education cuts.  For more  information on PIIN's transit task force click here.

Port Authority's Board approves new round of cuts and fare hikes as a result of budget woes, funding crisis

             Port Authority's Board approved record service cuts this morning. The service cuts, along with a fare increase in July, are for now the only solution to a $64 million budget shortfall in the Port Authority's operating budget. As we all know, the Agency cannot run a deficit budget, so each time there is a budget deficit and no other solution, it has to cut service hours in order to be able to balance its budget. Unless the Port Authority, the state, and local governments find a solution to the agency's budget shortfall, the 35% service cuts will become reality on September 2.  

The pink area on this map represents the area where ACCESS
service will be cut. (map by M.Sypolt @TransitGuru)

The reality of the service cuts in numbers:

• 46 of  Port Authority's 102 routes will be eliminated
• 40,000 rides will be lost, leaving thousands  of riders stranded
• ACCESS coverage will be significantly reduced
• 600 lost jobs
• 18 park and rides will no longer be served
• no service past 10 p.m. (with the exception of very few routes )

More than half of Port Authority's funding comes from the state. PA Governor Tom Corbett was expected to come up with a legislative solution providing the comprehensive, dedicated funding the Agency needs in order to cover its budget shortfall and eventually, grow service in the region. But Governor Corbett has yet to take a position on the recommendations to funding transportation proposed by the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission (TFAC), which Corbett himself appointed last year. A state-wide solution is needed to pay for badly needed repairs to bridges and roads, as well as ongoing costs to provide mass transit service in the dozens of Pennsylvania's public transit systems. The TFAC's several recommendations for funding solutions for transit have largely been ignored.

In an interview with KDKA's Political Editor Joe Delano, yesterday evening, Governor Corbett stated that in order for the state government to step up with a funding solution for the Port Authority : "...they have to take a look at where they are spending and, as I said, they have to sit down and talk to the unions.”.

Pat McMahon, ATU85's president said this morning that the union is willing to negotiate concessions, but not before the state government comes up with an explicit funding solution. He noted that the union offered concessions before based on a promised funding solution from the state and it was the state that failed to come through with a comprehensive, dedicated funding solution for public transit in Pittsburgh. (As a reminder: The former legislative solution at the state level, Act 44 of 2007, failed to provide the necessary funds for the transportation budget when the Federal Government blocked the tolling of I-80).

It looks like Governor Corbett and ATU85 are at a roadblock right now in their efforts to stop the service cuts, but at least McMahon did not lose his sense of humor as he noted that unions are not "ATMs who can be wrung for more cash every time politicians fail to live up to their responsibilities." Unfortunately, the Pittsburgh region stands to lose a lot more than its sense of humor if the service cuts take effect in September and, as Port Authority CEO Steve Bland noted, the Board decision is reversible but the impact of the cuts on the region is not. Steve Bland also pointed out that the only missing piece from the "puzzle", a solution to Port Authority's operating budget shortfall, is a state funding solution. 

This blog post was made possible by the tweet-contributions of Lauren Daley (@lndaley) and Jon Schmitz (@pgtraffic). Read their pieces on today's Port Authority Board decision on the City Paper's website : "Port Authority approves transit cuts...hopes to reverse itself" and respectively, the Pittsburgh  Post-Gazette: "Port Authority board approves deep cuts".

Massive transit cuts ahead. Again?!

As our readers will recall, about a year ago we had posted the news about 15% service cut that became effective March 2011: The Board of Port Authority approves 15% cuts for March 2011 We also explained the reasons why Port Authority's Board decided to approve the service cuts - and, if you recall, the main reason was the agency's decision to apply only part of the funds provided by former governor Ed Rendell to cover the 47 million budget deficit for FY 2010. The Board approved the Agency's decision to use the rest of the money in order to cover the deficit for FY 2011 (June 2011-June 2012),  hoping that after a year in office newly elected Governor Tom Corbett would be able to come up with a legislative solution for the transportation funding issues in Pennsylvania in general, and Port Authority's funding issues in particular.

But where does Governor Corbett stand on transportation funding issues? The problem is that Governor Tom Corbett so far has said little about transportation funding. In fact, he stated "that a new transportation bill is not a top priority for his administration this year"(2011, Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11294/1183824-100.stm#ixzz1k1Iovl9B)

New cuts, fare increases announced January 18th

Meantime, the Port Authority announced on January 18th a new round of massive service cuts come September 2012 due to a 64 million budget shortfall for FY 2012. The projected cuts will impact 35% of the current service provide by the Agency. Out of its current 102 routes, 46 will be eliminated and the rest will  face service reductions. This time around, the service cuts will impact the ACCESS service which is designed to provide transportation for people with disabilities.

If you want to find out more about the projected cuts and how service will be affected in your area , the Port Authority provides a comprehensive list of its projection on its Service Reduction page.

At this point, however, it is important to stress that these service cuts and fare increases are only in a proposal stage. And most importantly, we may avoid facing service cuts and fare increases again, if a dedicated funding source is found for the Agency's Operational Budget.

One way to tackle the budget deficit is to deal with the "legacy costs" such as pensions and retiree healthcare. We do expect new contract negotiations to start as early as January and we do anticipate that the Port Authority will ask for union concessions as part of the negotiations. However as positive as union concessions may be in finding  a solution to the budget deficit, they are not going to stop the decline in the Agency's ability to provide a comprehensive service in the area.

In a Q&A session that took place during the ACTC's General Meeting on January18, the Agency's Government Affairs Representative, Dan DeBone, noted that in order to stop the projected service cuts the "biggest impact will be made by funding and not by union concessions". 


About a funding solution

"Activists and the Port Authority, meanwhile, are trying to garner support for a package of bills from state Reps. Mike Hanna (D-Clinton/Centre) and Dan Frankel (D-Squirrel Hill). The bills offer several funding suggestions, many similar to those in a report made by Corbett's Transportation Funding Advisory Committee in August.

Frankel's bill would, among other things, grant mass-transit systems the entire $450 million annual payment that the PA Turnpike Commission makes to the state. Frankel also seeks to increase transit's share of state sales-tax revenue, from 4.4 percent to 6.4 percent of the annual take" notes Lauren Daley from the City Paper in her most recent article: Bumpy Ride: Port Authority getting set for massive service cuts, rate hikes. Miss Daley, a seasoned reporter when it comes to public transit, echoes the statements made by Allegheny County's Executive, Rich Fitzgerald and House State Rep. Dan Frankel (D-Squirrel Hill) during their 1/19/2012 press conference.

Eleven democrat legislators from the area rallied yesterday beyond County Executive Rich Fitzgerald for a press conference devoted to the support of Frankel's bill. The bill focuses not only on funding public transit, but also on funding for transportation/ infrastructure development meant to create jobs in the area and revitalize Pennsylvania's economy.  "This bills create jobs. Good paying jobs," stated Rep. Frankel yesterday.

One major problem Democrat legislators will face as they are trying to pass these bills is getting the support of their Republican colleagues. And, as Mr. DeBone noted during the Q&A session on 1/18, even though there are Republican legislators who are willing to support these bills, none is willing to step up as long as Governor Corbett does not take a clear position on transportation funding. The same issue was noted by the Democrat legislators present at the press conference called by County Executive Fitzgerald yesterday: most of their Republican colleagues will not stand beyond any legislative initiative regarding transportation until Governor Corbett clearly states his position.

This is why, when it comes to find a solution for Port Authority's funding woes and to stop more service cuts from taking place, we have to return to the same question: Where does Governor Corbett stand on the transportation funding issues?

We want to thank Lauren Daley from the City Paper for her valuable coverage of public transportation issues, Chris Sandvig from the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group for his support and tweets covering yesterday's press conference, and all the Post-Gazette reporters covering transit related news and articles.

In Memoriam, Tribute to John Weinhold

"In Memoriam, Tribute to John Weinhold" was a major part of the agenda for the Beechview Memorial Service, which occurred on Saturday morning, 2011 May 28, 10:00 a.m. EDST, at the Beechview veterans' memorial parklet (John was a veteran), Broadway and Shiras Avenue (across Broadway from the apartment building where John last resided). This event is scheduled each year on the Saturday morning of the Memorial Day weekend.




Several people gave tribute to John Weinhold at this event including friends, a co-worker, and people who worked with John in various community organizations. The people who did give such a tribute were: Phyllis DiDiano, President of the Beechview Area Concerned Citizens; Pennsylvania State Senator Wayne Fontana; Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak; Jonathan Robison and Stu Strickland, President and Treasurer, respectively, of the Allegheny County Transit Council (ACTC); Deborah M. Skillings, Community Outreach Coordinator of the Port Authority of Allegheny County (PAT); Marilyn Ecoff, one of John's co-workers from the local office of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT); Audrey Iacone, Manager of the Beechview Branch, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh; and close friend Glenn A. Walsh.








Pretty-Up Beechview plans on naming a garden, along Broadway in Beechview, in John's memory.




Also, the John Weinhold Humanitarian Memorial Fundraiser Spaghetti Dinner is planned for the Mercy Behavioral Health Center, 2129 Broadway in Beechview, on Wednesday evening, 2011 June 22 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. EDST. Proceeds from this event (Adults: $10, Children 12 and under: $4) will be used to help cover John's burial expenses and for causes of interest to John.




John D. Winehold , one of the 1984 charter members of the freshly founded Allegheny County Transit Council , had served the organization until his passing on March 21, 2011. A resident of Beechview , John was a neighborhood activist, former Penn DOT employee and public transportation advocate. He was a mentor and good friend for many Pittsburghers.



You can go to the following link for a biography of John D. Weinhold:
http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/bio/fotz/jaydee/index.html







This post was co-authored by Glenn A. Walsh,
*Project Director, Friends of the Zeiss
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh: http://inclinedplane.tripod.com/
* Public Transit: http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit

May News

Starting Sunday, June 12, 2011, The Port Authority of Allegheny County will adjusts schedules for 19 bus and T routes. Although lack of proper funding forced the Port Authority to reduce service by 15% on March 27th, in an effort to improve service the following route schedules will be revised:

6 Spring Hill: School trips (marked with an “S” on the schedule) are discontinued for the summer. 8 Perrysville: School trips (marked with an “S” on the schedule) are discontinued for the summer. 13 Bellevue: The last seven weekday evening trips will operate 10 minutes later. The affected trips will now arrive Downtown at 6:25 p.m. and extend to 12:25 a.m.
16 Brighton: School trips (marked with an “S” on the schedule) are discontinued for the summer. 44 Knoxville: School trips (marked with an “S” or “T” on the schedule) are discontinued for the summer. 48 Arlington: School trips (marked with an “S” on the schedule) are discontinued for the summer. 51 Carrick: School trips (marked with an “H,” “P” or “S” on the schedule) are discontinued for the summer. More trips will end at Brentwood Loop, reducing service frequency to Caste Village and Brentwood Towne Square from every 20 minutes to every 30 minutes. Trip times adjusted.
61A Wilkinsburg via Forbes Ave: Some weekday inbound trip times will be adjusted between Wilkinsburg and Forbes at Braddock.
74 Homewood-Squirrel Hill: School trips (marked with an “S” on the schedule) are discontinued for the summer. 78 Oakmont: One weekday evening outbound trip will be added; trip will leave Wilkinsburg Station at 7:46 p.m. 82 Lincoln: School trips (marked with an “S” on the schedule) are discontinued for the summer. Some evening trip times adjusted.
87 Friendship: Some weekday trip times adjusted. 91 Butler Street: Some trips will now end at Old Freeport and Freeport roads rather than ending at the VA Hospital. Weekday midday service will now operate every 18 minutes. Numerous trip times adjusted on weekdays and Saturdays.
G2 West Busway-All Stops: Trip times adjusted. Headways adjusted for consistency. On weekdays G2 will now operate every 10-20 minutes during early morning, every five minutes during peak periods, every 10 minutes between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., every 20 minutes midday and every 30 minutes in the evening.
G31 Bridgeville Flyer: Trip times adjusted. O12 McKnight Flyer: Adding two morning inbound trips to help with overcrowding. The trips will arrive Downtown at 7:35 a.m. and 8:15 a.m.
P1 East Busway-All Stops: Weekday schedule revised with trips added during various periods to address overcrowding. Round trips leaving Downtown between 9:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. will operate 10 minutes later, and a round trip has been added to arrive/leave Downtown at 12:40 a.m. On Saturdays, a 12:35 a.m. round trip will be added. Some minor inbound trip time adjustments will be made on Saturdays in the early a.m. and late p.m., and throughout the day on Sundays.
P2 East Busway-Short: Additional trips added to address overcrowding. Trip time adjustments. Red Line: On Saturdays, all service after 9:00 p.m. will now operate every 30 minutes. Saturday service will also be extended, with the last train leaving Downtown at 12:40 a.m. Service frequency will change on Sundays. From start of service until 11:00 a.m., service will operate every 35 minutes; from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., every 20 minutes; from 5:00 p.m. to last trip, every 35 minutes.

The first phase of the new ConnectCard fare system started today:

Port Authority has completed installation of new fareboxes on buses and rail vehicles and says it has overcome the problems that twice halted the project.
The next step in the run-up to a new high-tech fare collection system begins Monday, when 300 University of Pittsburgh staffers and students begin field-testing the system, to be followed by the entire Pitt faculty, staff and student body in the fall.
Read more in the Post-Gazette.

By the end of the week we will be able to offer you more details on the new experience from the perspective of the riders who enrolled in the testing phase. So, do remember to return for updates.


John Weinhold Memorial

And last but not least, we want to remind you that this Saturday, May 28th , there will be a memorial service in honor of long-term ACTC member John Weinhold at the Beechview Memorial parklet at Broadway and Shiras Avenues. More information on: http://buhlplanetarium2.tripod.com/bio/fotz/jaydee/