Allegheny County Rapid Transit Study
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The area covered in the rapid transit study consists of Allegheny County which is made up of 129 separate municipalities. The County includes 745 square miles of which 47 percent is presently developed. The study area's population in 1965 was approximately 1, 670, 000 and is expected to expand to over 2 million by 1985. PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY Pittsburgh Pennsylvania ALLEGHENY COUNTY RAPID TRANSIT STUDY PARSONS, BRINCKERHOFF, QUADE & DOUGLAS ENGINEERS 111 JOHN STREET, NEW YORK, N. Y. 10038 TELEPHONE (212) 233-6300 FOUNDED CABLE: PARKLAP NEW YORK TELEX WU 1-2403 RCA 222 117 IN 1885 wALTrn s. DOUGLAS WILLIAM MRCLAY PAIIONS lM5-l¶l nww M. BIINCKERHOFT IPIMM ALFRED HEDEFINE MAURICE N. QUADE 1931-1966 ausn F. ZIEGENFELDER ASSOCIATED COMULTMTS WILLIAM H. BRUCE, JR. EUGENE 1. MACWNALD JOHN E. EVERSON JOHN 0. BICKEL DONALD C HVDE R08ERT H. MEADE DONAWM. DITMAFS SEYMOUR S. GREENFIELD DAVID W. CARMICHAEL December 18, 1967 Judge Loran L. Lewis Chairman of the Board Port Authority of Allegheny County 121 Seventh Street Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222 Dear Judge Lewis: In accordance with the terms of our contract with the Port Authority of Allegheny County, dated October 27, 1965, we present herewith the findings of our study concerning rapid transit in Allegheny County. The purpose of this study was to formulate an optimum long- range rapid transit system for the county, to evaluate types of rapid transit appropriate to such a system, and to report upon the desirabi- lity and financial prospects of such a system. The report contains five chapters, as follows: I. Introduction 11. Data Gathering and Projections to 1985 111. Formulating a Mass Transportation System IV. Testing Alternatives - Steel Wheel vs. Rubber Tire K. Staging and Priorities Chapter I is concerned with the evolution of Allegheny County's present transportation system, a review of previous pertinent studies, the scope and procedures of the current study, and the constitution of the Technical Committee which reviewed the study progress and re- ported to the Port Authority Board when major decisions were required for continuation of the work. ALBANY / ATLANTA / BOSTON / HONOLULU / PITT5BURGH / TRENTON ARGENTINA / CANADA / CHILE / COLOMBIA / PERU / VENEZUELA - 2 - Port Authority of Allegheny County December 18, 1967 Chapter I1 is concerned with the data gathered and its pro- jection to 1965 and 1985 levels. Pertinent data included population and job volumes and distribution, land use, a home interview travel survey of the origin and destination of trips and their modes, purposes and timing, existing and programmed highways, existing public trans- portation, travel times by modes, auto ownership and other social eco- nomic factors. Chapter I11 is concerned with the formulation of a very long- range 92-mile rapid transit system, its routes, stations, patronage potential, and its relation to the county's total transportation system. The result of this phase of the study was the conclusion that a 60-mile system would be adequate to serve the County's needs to 1985 and that a more extensive system should not be undertaken at this time. Also in this chapter, the routes of the 60-mile system are described. In Chapter IV, the pertinent information concerning a steel- wheeled system for the 60-mile program is developed and summarized. The information includes route descriptions, station locations, estimates of the cost of fixed construction, patronage potential, equipment costs, revenue potential, and the cost of operation and maintenance. Also described are the salient features of a modern electric-powered auto- mated rail system. In Chapter IV, the same information for a rubber- tired Transit Expressway System is summarized and the salient features of that system are described. The two systems are compared at the end of the chapter. Chapter V of our report contains suggestions for staging the 60-mile rapid transit system, and sets forth priorities for viable increments if the ultimate financial planning so requires. The results of the studies recorded in this report were pro- gressively reported to the Technical Committee and the Port Authority in a series of interim briefings and technical memoranda. In September 1967, the Port Authority Board recommended construction of a Transit Expressway demonstration pilot project. The purpose of this project will be to investigate conclusively the -3- Port Authority of Allegheny County December 18, 1967 potential of that concept before reaching a decision for a county-wide system. The Transit Expressway has been developed in Allegheny County, and as such, is a community project. The desire to probe its potentialities to conclusion is wholly understandable. In accordance with the instructions of the Port Authority and the Technical Committee, this report, as submitted, brings the work under our contract to a close. Very truly yours, PARSONS, BRINCKERHOFF, QUADE & DOUGLAS W. S. Douglas ' CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION Transportation Opportunities Evolution of Pittsburgh's Transportation Recent Pittsburgh Developments Purpose and Scope of Study Study Procedures Stildy Schedule Participating Agencies Previous Reports and Data 11. DATA GA THERING AND PROJECTIONS Influences of Land Use and Travel Patterns Travel Desires 1965 and 1985 Projections III. FORMUL ATING A MASS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM Ty?es of Mass Transportation Systems 111-1 Major Travel Corridors 111-5 Selecting the Test Network 111- 10 Patronage Estimation 111-18 Syst ern Evaluation 111-22 Selecting a Regional System for 1985 Conditions 111-27 Urban System 111-28 Suburban System 111-29 IV. TESTING ALTERNATIVES - STEEL WHEEL VS. RUBBER TIRE System Criteria IV- 1 Types of Construction 1v-3 Selected Routes IV -4 Steel- Wheeled System - Route Descriptions IV -4 Transit Expressway System - Route Descriptions 1v-10 Capital Cost 1v-17 Description of Major Cost Classifications 1v-17 Operating Characteristics 1v-20 Equipment Characteristics 1v-23 Patronage Potential 1v-25 Revenues and Operating Costs 1v-27 Other Alternatives, Maximum Use of Aerial Construction CONTENTS (cont'd) South Hills Corridor Carnegie Corridor Oakland Corridor Alternative Downtown Distribution Comparisons of Level of Service Operation and Maintenance Cost Summary of Comparison of Transit Expressway with Steel- Wheeled System STAGING AND PRIORITIES Factors Considered Description of Stages ILLUSTRATIONS following page Frontispiece Study Area Fig. 1-1 Development Pattern Fig.. 11-1 Trends in Population and Employment Fig. 11-2 Distribution of Person,Trip-Ends - 1985 Fig. 11-3 Person Trip-Origins by Traffic Districts - 1965 and 1985 Fig. 11-4 CBD Trip Volumes by Corridor Fig. 11-5 Trends in Auto Registration Fig. 111-1 92-Mile Rapid Transit Test System Fig. 111-2 Transit Diversion Curves Fig. 111-3 Sequence of Computer Operations Fig. 111-4 Downtown Alternates - Phase I1 Fig. IV-1 60-Mile Rapid Transit System Fig. IV-2 Stations for 60-Mile Rapid Transit System Fig. IV-3 Key Map for Plan and Profile Sheets Fig. IV-4 Oakland Line ILLUSTRATIONS ( cont'd) following page Fig. IV-5 Oakland Line iv-15 Fig. IV-6 Oakland Line iv-15 Fig. IV-7 Ohio River Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-8 Ohio River Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-? Ohio River Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-10 Monroeville Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-11 Monroeville Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-12 Monroeville Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-13 Monroeville Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-14 Monroeville Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-15 Mon - Val1 ey Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-16 North Hills Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-17 North Hills Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-18 North Hills Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-19 Etna Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-20 South Hills Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-21 South Hills Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-22 South Hills Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-23 South Hills Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-24 County Airport Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-25 County Airport Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-26 County Airport Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-27 Carnegie Line 1v-15 Fig. IV-28 Passenger Flow Diagram - 60-Mile Rapid Transit System Fig. IV-29 Downtown Alternates - Phase III-A Fig. V-1 Construction Staging - 60-Mile Rapid Transit System I. INTRODUCTION Transportation Opportunities At- a time when almost all major American cities are experiencing the problems of declining central cores, traffic strangulation, urban sprawl, slums, air and water pollution, and civil disturbances, they have been, paradoxically enough, enjoying a high level of prosperity and the greatest urban and suburban development ever witnessed. The American city today faces the opportunity and the challenge of having to completely rebuild, within the next generation, to a size twice as large as at present. To meet this opportunity and challenge, billions of dollars will be needed to replace, correct, and provide the necessary facilities for the rapidly changing urban economy, society and technology. Most of today's cities have grown in response to yesterday's social and economic demands; few were planned in anticipation of the changes in city size, land use and demands for transportation that have taken place. The obsolescence of today's cities, and the nature of our new society, are much discussed and debated. However, it is certain that tomorrow's city could and should be designed to provide greater efficiency and mobility, and a far better place in which to live, work, shop and play. To reach this goal will require the efforts of economists, social scientists, urban planners, environmental designers, engineers, and professionals of other disci- plines, working together with a common purpose to achieve community action. The private automobile is the dominant transportation mode of the current era and will continue to be so for many years to come. The comfort, privacy and convenience of door -to-door transportation by automobile is well known. No other mode of transportation approaches it in flexibility, speed and convenience during off-peak periods and for short trips.