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2013|2014 Annual Report

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2013|2014 Annual Report 2013|2014 ANNUAL REPORT A YEAR OF SUCCESS This year was as positive as last year was challenging. After much uncertainty, in November 2013 the State Legislature voted to include our rideACTA shuttle service in the Transportation Bill. That’s excellent news for the hundreds of riders who need the service to get to jobs at worksites up to a mile-and-a-half away from the hub bus stop at IKEA. Additionally, a major project came to fruition in mid-2014 with the opening of the Super Stop—a model bus stop that has drawn attention from across the region, and in fact across the country. Other projects—some of them “firsts” for the region—filled out 2013-14, making it one of ACTA’s most successful years ever. But none of the year’s successes would have happened without the responsiveness of funders and partners in both government and the private sector. They deserve great credit—and they have our great gratitude. Lynn Manion Executive Director A YEAR OF SUCCESS A BUS STOP THAT MAKES NEWS It’s not every day that a new bus stop to the back of the shelter a plastic s "ICYCLEVEHICLE LANES WITH NEW SIGNAGE attracts attention from newspapers, radio, film depicting a room setting, so that support sharing the road between the TV, magazines, national wire services, and commuters waiting on Super Stop benches Montour Trail and the Super Stop. even Twitter—but that’s exactly what appear to be sitting in a living room. happened with the opening of the Super The project is an example of a successful Stop, a multi-modal bus stop located at Associated improvements in the area—all public-private partnership, combining the IKEA. part of the overall project and all designed vision and resources of governmental, to increase safety and mobility—include: nonprofit, and for-profit entities. Why all the attention? Because the Super s ! NEW FOUR LEG INTERSECTION WITH A NEW Stop is unique, a result of two recent ACTA Among the financial partners for the overall traffic signal and pedestrian crosswalks, project, including the Super Stop, are studies that created design prototypes for enhances safety on Park Manor Boule- several types of suburban bus stops. PennDOT, IKEA, PNC Bank, and Robinson vard where it connects the IKEA Driveway Township. Robinson Township has agreed One of those prototypes became a reality and Robinson Town Centre (western) to take ownership of the improvements, when ACTA secured competitive funding Driveway. and will maintain them. from PennDOT to develop the Super Stop s /N 0ARK -ANOR "OULEVARD AT THE 0.# and a host of related infrastructure im- driveway—site of many accidents—a Designers and builders include Donegal provements to benefit bus riders, motorists, new protected lane helps drivers making #ONSTRUCTION )NFORMING $ESIGN"OB &IRTH cyclists, and pedestrians. With support the left turn. Mackin Engineering Company, Maynes & from great partners, ACTA managed the Associates, and Michael Baker Jr., Inc. project—and the results debuted at a July CEREMONY &EATURED SPEAKERS INCLUD- ed then-Governor Tom Corbett and County %XECUTIVE 2ICH &ITZGERALD The Super Stop represents major advances in safety and convenience—for example, it is accessible, spacious, and set safely back from the road. Its amenities include bike racks, picnic tables, benches and trash receptacles. It also offers the Airport Cor- ridor’s first bike workstation—a self-con- tained, free-standing facility where cyclists can make simple repairs. Drawing on successful experience with transit shelters in Europe, IKEA has applied rideACTA HITS RIDERSHIP HIGHS With solid funding and a robust service After considerable debate in Harrisburg—a services—in this region, two examples are schedule, the rideACTA shuttle hit new period during which ACTA and local the Port Authority of Allegheny County and ridership highs this year. legislators advocated hard for sustained Beaver County Transit Authority. funding—the State Legislature responded Last year, amid great uncertainty about to the need for the shuttle service, provid- As soon as the State money became funding, ACTA made the difficult decision ing $652,000 for the year starting in July available—on July 1, 2014—rideACTA to stretch resources by trimming Sunday 2014. The shuttle service is now a part of resumed full service, and ridership soared service and operating fewer shuttles on the public transit stream along with other to new highs. In July, 5900 rides were other days. provided—51% over the previous year and the highest July ridership ever. In August, the service provided 6633 rides, the PERCENT highest month ever—until September, which saw 7719 rides provided. It’s proof INCREASE positive that rideACTA meets a great need 51 JULY 2013 - JULY 2014 for workers in the Airport Corridor. TOWNSHIPS, BUSINESS, COUNTY STEP UP TO PROVIDE MATCH The $652,000 in new State funding represents 85% of rideACTA’s annual cost; the Legislature requires a local match of 15%. For this year, Moon Township, Findlay Township, and IBEX Global have stepped up to the plate —as did Allegheny County. County Executive Rich Fitzgerald recently announced that the County would provide $84,250 of the required local match. AIRPORT CORRIDOR’S FIRST BIKE MAP INTRODUCED In another transportation-related “first” for The map also shows how the bike trails The app and web versions are highly the region, ACTA spearheaded the creation connect to roads, shopping centers, interactive, offering a search function; of the area’s first-ever bike map. business areas, and recreational facilities. the ability to click to show your current position; popups showing bike shops, bike The colorful, easy-to-use Airport Corridor &OR THE CONVENIENCE OF USERS THE MAP racks, and trail access points; and easy Bike Connections map benefits both comes in several versions: on the web, as directions to wherever you want to go. commuting and recreational cyclists. It a smartphone app, paper, and waterproof shows bike trails throughout the Corridor, paper. Want the map? Here’s how to get it: including the Montour Trail—the region’s cycling superhighway. s /N THE WEB GO TO WWWACTABIKEMAPORG s &OR THE FREE SMARTPHONE APP SEARCH FOR ACTA Bike Map on the iOS App Store and “ACTA Bike Map” (use the quotes) on the Android Play Store s &OR HARD COPY CALL THE paper version is free and the waterproof version only $5 The map was made possible by the generosity of lead underwriter PennDOT and sponsors including Allegheny County Airport Authority, Allegheny County, Armstrong Telephone, DiCicco Develop- MENT )NC $ICKS 3PORTING 'OODS &ED%X Ground, IKEA, The Mall at Robinson, Port Authority of Allegheny County, Robert -ORRIS 5NIVERSITY &INDLAY 4OWNSHIP AND Moon Township. ACTA GETS THE WORD OUT ABOUT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS Have you ever driven through a highway to the right—call to ask a question about construction area and wondered what was a project); email blasts (to get on the Current projects for which ACTA is going on? Or when the project would be list, phone or email Amy Mathieson at providing outreach and their hotline over? Or whether there’s a good detour 412.533.4602 or amy.mathieson@actap- numbers include: around it? gh.org); or in the Construction section of s 0ARKWAY 7EST ACTA’s website at acta-pgh.org. 412.533.4602 or 412.533.4601 &OR MANY 0ENN$/4 $ISTRICT PROJECTS throughout the county, ACTA provides pub- The website provides complete information s &ORT 0ITT 4UNNEL lic outreach—detailed project information about all projects for which ACTA is doing 412.533.4602 or 412.533.4601 available to anyone who wants it. outreach, including start and end dates, s 2OUTE a project description, traffic advisories (for s 7EST #ARSON 3TREET The information is available in several example, information about closures), and s ,INCOLN 7AY ways: telephone hotlines (see numbers detour information. 2OBINSON 0LAZA 4WO 3UITE 412.533.4600 tel [email protected] 2OUTE 0ARK -ANOR $RIVE 412.774.1540 fax www.acta-pgh.org 0ITTSBURGH 0! EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS Kathy Stefani Fred Fox 2UTH $ELACH Accessible Transportation Giant Eagle Market District Pittsburgh Technical Institute President: & Workforce Interagency 2OBERT $UDASH, Robinson Township Margie Sarber James Campolongo Cooperative Resident IBEX Global Pittsburgh Transportation Eric Buncher Group Vice President: Terri Noble Allegheny County Airport Jim Foringer, PennDOT District 11-0 IKEA Scott Vetere Authority Port Authority of Allegheny 3ECRETARY4REASURER (ENRY .UTBROWN $ENNIS #ULLISON County 2UTH $ELACH, Pittsburgh Technical Jacobs Engineering Armstrong Telephone Institute *ONATHAN 0OTTS Brad Marsteller $AVID (IGIE Robert Morris University Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson Michael Baker Corporation MEMBERS *EFF 3ILKA Ted McConnell *IM 2AHENKAMP Robinson Township -IKE "AKER, PennDOT Central Office K&L Gates Bayer Corporation 2OBERT $UDASH $ARRIN "ERGER &ED%X 'ROUND )TALO -ACKIN Mary Jo Morandini Robinson Township Resident Mackin Engineering Company Eric Buncher, Allegheny County Beaver County Transit $IANE ,ICHAUER Airport Authority Authority Beth Edwards The Wilder Companies – Jeanne Creese, Moon Township The Mall at Robinson Ron Logreco Settlers Ridge #HUCK $I0IETRO, Southwestern Community College of Jeanne Creese Steve Kasunich Pennsylvania Commission Allegheny County Moon Township Soffer Organization Jim Foringer, PennDOT District 11-0 $ARRIN "ERGER Jim Foringer #HUCK $I0IETRO &ED%X 'ROUND PennDOT District 11-0 Ted McConnell, K&L Gates Southwestern *ONATHAN 0OTTS, Robert Morris Eric Veydt "ERNADETTE 0UZZUOLE Pennsylvania Commission 'ANNETT &LEMING
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