Great Press Coverage on Possible BRT Impact on Duquesne and Braddock communities. If you missed the meeting, you can still email comments and concerns around the BRT proposal to brt@portauthority.org.
—
Residents and community representatives from Duquesne and Braddock highlighted the consequences of less frequent service along the key 61 A,B,C & D routes, along with the financial and physical burden of mandatory transfers in Oakland to get downtown. The Port Authority has not finalized their service plans for these routes under the BRT, however, it is likely that riders will lose their all day one-seat ride to downtown. Pittsburghers for Public Transit recognizes that there are some benefits to bus riders under the BRT proposal, including improving the experience and efficiency of a heavy transit corridor for riders, bikers and pedestrians, and the transition to a green electric bus fleet. However, Pittsburghers for Public Transit stands along with the Committee for Accessible Transportation and City of Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Task Force on Disabilities in opposing the BRT plan as long as concerns around accessibility and equity are not addressed. Riders and disability advocates have highlighted how the proposed BRT bus-only lanes prevent para-transit vehicles from complying even with ADA minimum curb drop-off standards.
—
“Mamadou Ndiaye, an intern for Braddock, said the changes would put a burden on the borough’s many low-income residents traveling Downtown for access to health providers and other services.
“Within the borough, we don’t have many social services for our residents,” Ndiaye told the board. “So to impose a change that would make their commute time even longer … is something we see as being inequitable.”
From the Trib:
http://triblive.com/…/passengers-ask-port-authority-to-reco…
From WESA:
http://wesa.fm/…/braddock-duquesne-residents-voice-concern-…
From WPXI:
http://www.wpxi.com/…/residents-voice-concerns-ov…/574841250