Title: Commuter Rail Planning in Southwestern Pennsylvania
Abstract: This paper describes how, in February 2002, the Port Authority of Allegheny County, Westmoreland County Transit Authority and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional Planning Commission began the Eastern Corridor Transit Study. The study area extends from Downtown Pittsburgh to Greensburg in Westmoreland County between the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. Commuter rail was considered in two corridors. The 18-mile Allegheny Valley Commuter Rail corridor extends from Pittsburgh to Arnold and New Kensington. It would utilize the right-of-way of the Allegheny Valley Railroad located along the southern bank of the Allegheny River. Major track and other infrastructure improvements are necessary to operate effective transit service on this line. The 31-mile Norfolk Southern Commuter Rail corridor links Pittsburgh with Greensburg. Service would operate on Norfolk Southern’s Pittsburgh Line which is one of the busiest freight railroad lines in Southwestern Pennsylvania. While commuter trains could operate at satisfactory speeds on the existing two-track line, a third track and other improvements would probably be required to minimize operational conflicts between freight and commuter trains. In addition to the typical early analyses of transit projects (definition of alternatives, capital and operating and maintenance cost estimates and ridership forecasts), four station design workshops were conducted for this study. Since there is an existing train station in Greensburg currently used by Amtrak, it was the focal point for a workshop which considered adjacent land uses and how the area in the station vicinity could be revitalized with implementation of the new commuter rail service. After completion of the study, the Colorado Railcar demonstrated on both lines. This generated enthusiasm for further development of commuter rail in both corridors. The next steps are Alternatives Analysis and the environmental studies. These efforts will involve Port Authority, Westmoreland County Transit Authority and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. Funding, engineering, construction and operation of one or both commuter rail projects may require other institutional arrangements such as a Joint Powers Board.
Publication Year: 2005
Publication Date: 2005-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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