All aboard

BRT plan is right to take most ambitious route

Rapid transit options are key to the future of Pittsburgh and our economy. While South Hills residents have the light rail system known as the “T,” those who live and work in the eastern neighborhoods of Pittsburgh have long awaited a better system for their area.

This week brought an announcement that the Port Authority, after much public input, selected the most comprehensive option for its planned Bus Rapid Transit system. We applaud this decision, which allows the system to serve not only the crowded Oaklandcorridor but also to reach out into Highland Park, Homewood, SquirrelHill and Wilkinsburg.

Bus Rapid Transit is an idea whose time has come. Clean electric buses will travel in dedicated bus lanes from Downtown to Oakland, utilizing smart traffic signals to save time. The needs of pedestrians, cyclists and drivers have also been taken into consideration in the development of the plan.

The estimated cost of the system is $233 million, and its completion depends on support from the federal government. City and county government and the Port Authority are cooperating well on the planning and the application process for federal assistance.

Thousands of Pittsburghers have had the opportunity to give their opinions about how the system should be designed. Justin Miller, principal transportation planner for the city, said 2,500 comments have been submitted in writing, and citizens have given their input at dozens of community meetings. This input led to the selection of the most comprehensive option.

Aswith any major project, some details remain to be worked out. One detail is how to accommodate vehicles that transport the elderly and disabled. Another is to choose locations for stations for the system. Even after federal approval of the project, it will take three to four years to complete the system. For the neighborhoods involved and for the city as a whole, it can’tcome soon enough.