Trainspotting

Pittsburgh is a city just sitting on huge potential in all aspects of greatness. A renaissance of enligtenment, prosperity and sustainable expansion awaits the city and the greater Pittsburgh region.

But why is it just potential and not currently busting at the seams with greatness you ask?

It is the complex, inefficient and pesky transportation system we currently have. Look at a bus map and try and figure it out. My roomate for instance takes two, sometimes three busses just to get from the Northside to CCAC South Campus. F$&% That!! I could take the busses from the Northside to East Liberty for work, but it is more expensive than driving! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? A really lousy transportation system. That's how.

Luckily there is a very simple solution.

Once the train links from Downtown to the Northside, the two most complicated and expensive parts of our regional rail system will be complete. That includes crossing the rivers. The rest of the network just has to go over land which is MUCH cheaper to build.

After That, you just have to connect the dots of the neighborhoods so that spokes go out from downtown through the neighborhoods. An example of this would be a line going down Penn Ave. through the strip, bloomfield, East Liberty and Wilkinsburg with a spur into Lawrenceville/Morningside. Another could go through Oakland, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill and end over in Braddock with a spur into Hazelwood. On the Northside a line down Brighton road through Brighton Heights, Bellvue to Ben Avon would connect nicely. Two lines already go through the southside, but one would be continued all the way to the airport (very key).

As these main train lines cross through all of the neighborhood centers, small neighborhood bus routes would then continuously shuttle around the neighborhood from the various Rail Line terminals.

True, there would be a change of vehicle, but only if you were on the outskirts of a neighborhood. This would encourage development and business in the center of the neighborhoods revitalizing them faster and also make public transportation much more affordable since there would no longer be 50+ citywide bus routes all with multiple busses and bizarre schedules. The trains / trollys what ever you want to call them, would be Multiple cars and carry many more and can loop continuous back and forth on their routes.

Once Pittsburgh has a navigable and affordable transportation system, people will flock to the city, build great centers of business and commerce and other greatness will soon follow.

Until then, we will be stuck with the frustration of isolation from our dynamic and inspiring neighbors around the city.