Results of Port Authority’s Busways

Results of Port Authority’s Busways

• David E. Wohlwill, AICP

• APTA - TRB

• Bus Rapid Transit Conference

• Denver, CO

• May 6, 2004

Pittsburgh BRT Facilities

Port Authority’s Busways

• South Busway – 1977, 4.3 miles

• Martin Luther King, Jr. East Busway – 1983, 6.8 miles

• West Busway - 2000, 5.0 miles

• Martin Luther King, Jr. East Busway Extension- 2003, 2.3 miles

• Total length of busways is 18.4 miles

South Busway

South Busway

• First exclusive transit facility for buses not in a highway

• Oldest busway in North America

• Links Downtown with Pittsburgh’s southern neighborhoods and suburbs

• Allows buses to bypass severe congestion on Liberty Avenue, Route 51, Liberty Tunnel and Liberty Bridge

Martin Luther King, Jr. East Busway

Martin Luther King, Jr. East Busway

• Links downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland with Pittsburgh’s eastern neighborhoods and suburbs

• Allows buses to bypass severe congestion on Parkway East and other arterials and local streets

• Port Authority’s busiest BRT facility

E. Busway Extension Opened 6/03

West Busway

West Busway

• Links Downtown with Pittsburgh’s western neighborhoods and suburbs

• Facilitates service to Pittsburgh International Airport

• Allows buses to bypass severe congestion on Parkway West

Busway Results

Travel Time Savings

• South Busway – 20 - 30 minutes

• Original East Busway

• Downtown to Wilkinsburg – 34 minutes
• Oakland to Wilkinsburg – 25 minutes

• East Busway with Extension

• Downtown to Swissvale – 6 minutes
• Oakland to Swissvale – 15 minutes

• West Busway – 20 minutes

Ridership Trends

Current Ridership (Oct. 2003)

• South Busway – 11,000

• East Busway – 25,000

• West Busway – 8,100

Average O & M Costs per Rider (FY 1995 Data)

• South Busway - $1.03

• East Busway - $.95

• Remainder of Bus System - $2.55

• Light Rail System - $3.22

Development Impacts

Development 1983-1996

• 54 developments

• Fair market value of $302 Million

• New construction and renovation of existing buildings

• Retail, office and residential uses most common

Residential Development Linked to a Station

Reuse of an Industrial Building

Medical Professional Building

Redeveloped Railroad Station

Development since 1996

• Development continues to occur

• Another $203 million completed

• Additional development under construction or being planned

West Busway Development Carnegie Borough Bldg. - Carnegie Station

Lessons Learned

Operations & Ridership

• Significant travel time savings in heavily congested corridors achieved

• 1995 O & M cost data indicate substantial savings per passenger compared to the rest of the bus system

• Ridership on East Busway has been stable despite overall system decline

Development Impacts

• The East Busway and its landscaping were major physical improvements in the corridor

• $302 million in development 1983-1996

• Estimated $203 million occurring since 1996

• $505 million to date and more underway

• This is a magnitude of investment comparable to development levels observed along rail lines in other cities.

TOD Issues

• Consider TOD early in planning

• TOD has not fully realized its potential along East Busway

• A number of developments are transit-adjacent, but not transit-oriented

Park-and-Ride

• Important to provide sufficient number of PNR spaces

• Coordination with communities involved almost as much effort for PNR as for the West Busway itself

Image

• Image is Critical

• Stations on Original East Busway Rebuilt

Design Treatments Enhance Appearance of BRT Guideways – West Busway Berry Street Tunnel

Allow for Future Stations on BRT Facility