Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Transit Concept
The Alignment
The alignment concept that emerged
from the design workshops replaces the
existing East Busway, using the same
alignment from Penn Plaza to
Wilkinsburg. The possibility of routing
trains from Steel Plaza to the
Convention Center and then through the
Strip District to connect to the busway
corridor further east was also discussed
with enthusiasm.
From Wilkinsburg the potential
alignment followed the historic
Pennsylvania Railroad corridor through
Edgewood, Swissvale, Rankin, Braddock,
and North Braddock to the vicinity of the
Westinghouse bridge in East Pittsburgh.
At this location the alignment shifted
from the Pennsylvania Railroad corridor
to a rail spur controlled by the RIDC
that is located between Keystone
Commons and Turtle Creek. At Turtle
Creek the alignment leaves the rail spur
corridor and swings north to follow the
proposed Mon-Fayette Expressway
alignment up Thompson Run past
Monroeville Mall to a terminal station at
the USX Cement Plant site in Penn Hills
just north of Parkway East.
Stations would be located at Penn Plaza
(or the Convention Center and Strip
District), Heron Avenue/Polish Hill,
Negley Avenue, East Liberty,
E a s t
L i g h t
R a i l
Tr a n s i t
The Investment
C o m m u n i t y
D e s i g n
R e p o r t
Facility
Capital OpenCost
ing
($M)
Year
1998
Capital
Cost
Daily
($M) Riders
Riders
Actual
Cost
or
Annual per
Fore- Riders Rider
cast
($)
(M)**
South Hills
Stage 1
520
1987
818
South Hills
Stage II*
405
2003
405
Total South
Hills LRT
925
2003
1,223
40,000
Forecast
11.79
103.76
North Shore
Connector***
389
2005
389
10,105
Forecast
3.63
107.46
401
n/a
401
50,300
Forecast
14.82
27.05
E a s t
L i g h t
R a i l
Tr a n s i t
C o m m u n i t y
D e s i g n
R e p o r t
Page 16
The Benefits
Community discussion to date of the
conversion of the East Busway to light
rail and its potential 9-mile extension to
Penn Hills suggests that the investment
would likely result in a public
transportation system that will not only
increase ridership, but also help focus
development and redevelopment at light
rail station areas in the communities
served.
The communities of the TCVCOG
understand that significant investment
in transportation infrastructure takes
time and rigorous study of the costs and
benefits. The Major Investment Study
proposed by SPC would serve as the
E a s t
L i g h t
R a i l
Tr a n s i t
C o m m u n i t y
D e s i g n
R e p o r t