[PRCo] Re: will western PA survive?

[John Swindler]

Planners are being told to revisit their regional highway plans because of declines in highway trust fund and even more so, decline in highway travel.  Something like 100 million miles this year (but don't know if absolute number, or reduction from forecast).  But the long term trend from 1990s is declining increase, and now an actual decline.  
 
Our cubicles are next to plannings.
 
John
 
 
 
> From: fwschneider at comcast.net> Subject: [PRCo] Re: will western PA survive?> Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:07:40 -0500> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org> > Those genuinely friendly people in western Pennsylvania are why I > have no qualms about driving for four hours to work at PTM. They are > the biggest asset that area has.> > You are telling me that the highway system is a disaster, Dennis, but > remember that the last comprehensive nationwide highway investment > program is the one that Eisenhower signed in 1954 and which was > enacted in the 1960s and 1970s. While most cities are straining to > cope with inadequate highways because traffic has increased three, > four or five fold on those expressways, Pittsburgh really isn't all > that bad because of the population declines. Furthermore I-279 was > done much more recently and so was the Allegheny Valley Expressway > (in spite of the incompetent design of the off and on ramps).> > The 67 miles from Lancaster to Philadelphia, because of the added > congestion, can best be done by train now. That is about 75 minutes > in the peak with four or five intermediate stops. If you drive in > the rush hour ... well, it will take better than two hours now. > Barb Ciccone came to visit us in Lancaster two years ago and was > astonished at our traffic compared to Washington County.> > Two summers ago I left San Jose, California about 3 in the afternoon > and it took until 6 PM to get to my motel in Sacramento. It's under > 150 miles and mostly expressway driving and I actually skirted the > East Bay and drove through past Stockton to avoid the worst > congestion. Now you know why there are now commuter trains from San > Jose to Stockton on the old Western Pacific over Altamont Pass.> > And of course Dennis must remember how bad traffic was in Westchester > County, New York, when he took that sabatical two years ago. I can > remember in the early 1970s driving from Port Washington, Long Island > to Chatham, New Jersey. I had dropped my buddy Bill Middleton at > the Long Island station in Port Washington about 3 PM. I had to > drive in through Queens, across the Triborough Bridge, through The > Bronx, across the upper end of Manhattan, out US 46 (before I-80 was > finished) toward Morristown and then down to Chatham. I had never > left the New York metro area and it only took about four hours.> > Of course it is always bad when you don't see who has it worse. I > remember the news stories in the Marietta [Ohio] Times complaining > about how bad rush hour congestion was when the Putnam Street Bridge > over the Muskingum River was because people were being forced to > drive five blocks out of their way up to Washington Street cross. > It was killing them in a town of 14,000 people!!!!!!! I laughed > when I saw those people complaining.> > That was as bad as the gas station owner Ringling, Montana (1974) who > had his mens room locked "because if he didn't the kids would burst > water balloons in them." I told him if he had a gas station in > North Philadelphia the adults would take the toilet, the sink and all > the copper pipe.> > > > > On Dec 18, 2008, at 5:36 PM, Dennis F. Cramer wrote:> > > Butler will continue to show some growth with the new Westinghouse > > facility> > going into Cranberry, but I agree with Fred that the area is going > > through a> > slow drain that will not slow for quite a while. The population > > advances in> > certain areas is, for the most part, nothing more than persons > > moving within> > the region. There is no great influx of newbies. There is a > > reason why> > they built a new national cemetery along I 79.> >> > First time visitors are usually impressed because most people in > > the nation> > still think Pittsburgh is a filthy, smoky factory town. It is > > cloudy a lot,> > the most cloudy days in the nation, but there are great museums, music> > organizations and some genuinely friendly people. There are still > > thriving> > neighborhoods that give a unique flavor. Unfortunately living off of> > hospitals and universities gives no local property tax into the > > coffers.> >> > I highly doubt we will ever see any major improvements in mass > > transit.> > People here do not get it and neither do the developers. Many > > politicos> > feel the answer to the traffic is to get all the busses out of > > downtown> > (quoted to a PAT route manager several years ago by some folks from > > city> > hall) The highway system is a disaster and there is not much that > > can be> > done to improve it and we certainly seem to fight forever before > > anything> > gets done--remember the East Street? How about 28? They paid big > > bucks to> > a traffic consultation firm to find out they need more lanes to and > > from the> > airport. DUH!> >> > It is going to be interesting to watch the traffic patterns when > > the new> > casino opens on the Northshore. Will people avoid it on game days > > or will> > it cause even fewer people to go to a Pirate game? Football should > > not be a> > problem for them as there are only 20 or so events at Heinz Field a > > year for> > the Steelers & Pitt. They also are planning another outdoor music > > venue> > over there. Too bad they have not figured out that parking is > > needed and> > easy access. WE are supposed to park downtown and take the "T" > > over. Great> > idea, except they do not want to have any sort of yard on the > > Northshore to> > have many vehicles ready for the mass exodus. One car at a time > > will not> > cut it.> >> > We love to complain, that is part of the western PA lifestyle. > > Luckily I do> > not live in Allegheny County anymore, but have to deal with the > > Point every> > time I travel to PTM. As bad as 28 is, I can be out of town after > > a concert> > and in my driveway in 45 minutes on a Sunday. We choose when we go > > to town> > to avoid the mess. I go to PTM on weekends when I can get there in > > 70 to 75> > minutes. Not bad for a 68 mile trip. The worst coming home has > > never been> > over 2 hours.> >> >> >> > Dennis F. Cramer> > Trombone> >> >> >> >> > 
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