If you missed our Executive Director Laura Chu Wiens on yesterday's national panel "A Transit Agenda for the COVID-19 Emergency", talking about COVID Fare Relief and the Mon-Oakland Connectork, you can catch it here. TransitCenter also recently published a great report laying out national data about ridership and recommendations for transit systems to provide equitable and effective service through this pandemic and beyond. transitcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/TC_Covid_FINAL_Pages-1.pdf ... See MoreSee Less
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🔥🔥Councilmember O'Connor stands up against luxury micro transit pilots and for the flood relief and equitable, accessible transit that his constituents deserve! 🔥🔥👏👏
"City Councilman Corey O’Connor quickly expressed his frustrations with the plan, especially with the shuttle bus project, stating it had “turned out to be a big waste of six years” when the community could have had information about when the shuttle bus would run and how many people it would transport.
“I will say that we are finally getting answers to some of our questions, which I think is the biggest joke of all time because we’ve been waiting six years for this, especially me, on when the shuttle is going to run, who’s going to operate it,” Mr. O’Connor said.
...Mr. O’Connor also questioned why the $41 million that was pledged to be invested in preventing flooding in the area was reduced to $16 million.
“I want to know what the difference was from 41 to 16? And if it doesn’t stop the flooding problem and protect people, then it’s a bigger farce than it was at the beginning,” he said."
www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2020/10/21/Mon-Oakland-Mobility-Project-meeting-Pittsbur... ... See MoreSee Less
"'These shuttles will barely transport two families,' [Barb Warwick] said. 'If these foundations really want to serve their mission to support a better life in Pittsburgh, they would be funding better bus service.'
Others expressed concerns about future development, resulting in gentrification of Hazelwood and Four Mile Run. Bonnie Fan, a Carnegie Mellon University student, pointed to evictions in Chicago after the completion of the Bloomingdale Trail raised property values and rent prices. Karina Ricks, director of the City’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure, has herself compared the Mon-Oakland Project to the Bloomingdale trail."
www.wesa.fm/post/residents-speak-out-against-proposed-free-shuttle-between-hazelwood-green-and-oa... ... See MoreSee Less
Residents stand up for transit equity! Thank you to the 200+ community members that came out to the Mon-Oakland Connector meeting last night to say no to inequitable publicly-funded privately-run micro transit pilots, and YES to more affordable housing, public transit and pedestrian investments. WE MAXED OUT THE ZOOM PARTICIPATION LIMITS. TWICE!
"10/21/20: Little love for planned Hazelwood-to-Oakland shuttle
A virtual public meeting meant to address questions about the proposed Mon-Oakland Mobility Project drew 200 participants and appeared to do little to soften neighborhood opposition to a proposed trail-and-shuttle system from Hazelwood to the heart of Pittsburgh’s university district.
...Some residents fear it would cause gentrification.
'I get calls every day from gentrifiers who want to buy my property,” said Hazelwood resident Homer Craig, 'so that they can move in people who never even thought of Hazelwood.'"
www.publicsource.org/developpghbulletins-pittsburgh-allegheny-county/ ... See MoreSee Less
