Those lanes reduce delays in buses . For wider roads a bus lane and even a rapid or light rail transit can help road congestion greatly. Flexibility to transit users. Hopefully they can do the same thing for commerical vehicles and trucks only (express lane style) lanes. Add a lane and express lane ideas never solves congestion on highways and roads. I'll love to see a underground commercial only guided or roadway that can connect NYC Midtown and Lincoln tunnel. With a seperate bus lane as well. Plus, a Lincoln to battery park tunnel and underpass.
There is a Light Rail Extension from Penn Station to the Light Rail Network, but it has been close since the 1990s. The main reason is the Light Rail, when built in the 1980s, used an abandoned rail line from the Southside to Penn Station. Thus it was an easy extension to get to Penn Station. The problem is as the LRV leaves Penn Station it enters the tunnel where the rest of the LRV system is, but facing out of town while the rest of the LRV route goes to two more stops in Downtown Pittsburgh, turns around and meet the track from Penn Station as both leave downtown Pittsburgh. Today, it is even worse as the rest of the Light Rail system goes to its other two stops in Downtown Pittsburgh and then cross under the Allegheny River to a new stop next to the Steeler's football stadium. The LRVs then turnaround and heads for the South Hills and still only joins the route from Penn Station as both leave Downtown Pittsburgh. Sorry, an extension exists but given its location it is useless.
You know, this makes sense. It’s hard to completely undo car-centric development and replace highways with trains in a short time. Busways are kind of a nice alternative that could relatively easily be converted into dedicated TOD rail systems in the future. Not bad for an American city lol
and it's even crazier that this was built way back in the '80's. Pretty forward thinking and ahead of its time. With some clever rebrand and better advertising and initiative for TOD, this route could absolutely shine.
I visited a friend whose apartment backed up to one of the entrance ramps to that busway. They’re really unique to Pittsburgh. Some would say the lines should be restored to rail. I think the busways’ strengths are the flexibility to collect or distribute routes from downtown to many different neighborhoods. Why don’t more cities do this? Simple. They don’t have the real estate, namely, the abandoned rail corridors.
Every so often the politicians in the community state they want it converted to a Light Rail Vehicle system. PAT keeps saying no for PAT hates Light Rail and wants buses. In fact when PAT was formed in the early 1960s, one of the reason for forming PAT was to eliminate the remaining streetcars in Pittsburgh by replacing them with buses. That dogma is still in the heart of PAT (having adopted a new name "Pittsburgh Regional Transit"). While most of the inclines were gone before PAT took over mass transit in Pittsburgh from the old Pittsburgh Railway Company, PAT was the agencies that close the Castle Shannon Incline (The last Vehicular incline in Pittsburgh) and wanted to close down the Duquesne Incline (The later was saved by a private group who raised the money to save the Duquesne Incline with little help from PAT). PAT replaced the Castle Shannon incline with the 34-C Warrington-Grandview bus (a discontinued bus route). The biggest problem was, even today, the fastest way to reach the top of Mt. Washington is by Incline and while the Right of Way for the Castle Shannon Incline still exists, PAT refuses even to consider rebuilding the Castle Shannon Incline. This is true even as it becomes clear it easier for bicyclists to reach the top of Mt Washington then the present methods. Technically you can take a bicycle up the Monongahela Incline but it is a tight fit. I have ridden a bicycle on the Johnstown Incline, which is a true vehicular inline, and the fact the Johnstown incline was built to haul wagons, a bicycle is an easy fit on such a true vehicular incline. I have used a mobility scooter on the much smaller Monongalia Incline and it is a very tight fit. Bicycles would be easier but not by much. The Castle Shannon, Knoxville incline (Close 1960) and Penn Avenue incline (Closed 1954) were all Pittsburgh base vehicular inclines and would be a boom to the growing bicycle culture of Pittsburgh. The Castle Shannon was close to Smithfield Street Bridge (and the Monongahela incline) and with the Knoxville Incline would provide a much better way up MT Washington for bicyclists then using the much smaller Monongahela Incline. As to the Penn Avenue incline, it would provide a good way for bicyclists to go from the Strip District to the Hill District (permitting bicyclists the ability to go over a much flatter route to Oakland, and the Universities in Oakland, then biking from Downtown Pittsburgh to Oakland). The Strip District is very flat compared to the roads between Downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland. Remember the second and third most used transit stop in Pennsylvania are Downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland (Downtown Philadelphia is the largest transit stop in Pennsylvania) and any way to aid movement between Downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland should be looked into.
Richmond Virginia has been working on a BRT system of its own called the Pulse. Unlike Pittsburgh, the Richmond system utilized some repurposed lanes on its most notorious strod as bus only lanes for its bus way. According to the city of Richmond, the Pulse already has a BRT bronze score, and more improvements are being made. There isn't much information about the Pulse on TH-cam. You should come down to Richmond and see what you think of it.
Boston has same busway system but underground (from South Boston waterfront to South station). Hopefuly they can expand it to its aiport and even add a light rail line parallel to it. With a light rail underground silver line from Logan to Ruggles station. The pittsburgh west and east busway really need a light rail transit line parallel to it (at grade and tunnel). Hopefully cities will implement bus golf cart light buspaths and allow long haul buses to use busways after branching from the highway. Also, implementing seprated truckways for freight transportation where roads widening will be unfeasible.
If I remember this with 28X to Robinson and the Airport, I think I been on it then. And if it is the same one you are referring to. I stayed at a hotel near Robinson Town Center before in 2018.
I take a bus quite frequently to East liberty Anytime I have to go there. I take the light rail from Allegheny Station to steel Plaza and then transfer to the P1 at the US steel building and it is very fast. I hope one day that they will extend the E. Bus Way to Monroeville and beyond
This is how all highways should be. If I owned a highway I would only allow buses & semi trucks, charge a small fee (charge more eco friendly vehicles less)this might get more people to use buses over cars cause they can get places much faster cause less traffic
They should turn the bus highways into a light rail and bus only transit way or even a metro line. There is definitely enough demand and it would be quite cheap to do. As it currently sits those Transit ways are quite inefficient.
I remember those buses when I was in Pittsburgh. I was making a delivery to a Lumber Company, I had a little trouble finding the lumber company it was down by the railroad tracks and a town cop keep showing up every time I made a turn I almost got stuck on a back street with a48 ft tractor trailer I remember seeing the buses as I was jockying around trying to find my way into where the lumber company was I ended up going over a bridge that wise said to be overweight for the truck I had I ended up getting a fine and I was not too happy about it because the bridge look like an old railroad bridge that you could have driven a locomotive over which would have Weighed more than the truck and the load I was driving. I won't recommend Pittsburgh in anybody's travels
Buses were set up to kill the trolley lines that once existed across the country bye General Motors. We once had massive transportation system that actually worked. After the buses took over and shut down the trolley lines the decline in services started which is why we are left with such massive traffic jams. Personally I think bus systems are a waste since they took over something that was already working.
Exactly. They could EASILY turn this bus only highway into a light rail and bus only transit way or even a full metro line. It would be very inexpensive too.
The busway is a wider footprint with an impervious surface requiring salt in the winter. A bus has more toxins to leak, along with tire crumbs. A worn out railway wheel is 100% recyclable.
Great video! Pittsburgh has a lot of different transit options and its one of my favorites in the NorthEast
Wow, Alan Fisher watches my channel!
3 Days until Pittsburgh
These are great. Our various busways in Brisbane Australia really cuts down on the commute.
I'll love to see them expand those busway into the major motorways in those areas.
Bus-only lanes should be a standard part of all urban expressways in the US, especially in cities that lack any kind of rail infrastructure.
Those lanes reduce delays in buses . For wider roads a bus lane and even a rapid or light rail transit can help road congestion greatly. Flexibility to transit users.
Hopefully they can do the same thing for commerical vehicles and trucks only (express lane style) lanes. Add a lane and express lane ideas never solves congestion on highways and roads. I'll love to see a underground commercial only guided or roadway that can connect NYC Midtown and Lincoln tunnel. With a seperate bus lane as well. Plus, a Lincoln to battery park tunnel and underpass.
Fascinating
It’s should be an extension of the light from the Union/Penn train station also. In Seattle they use both on the same line.
The tunnel in Seattle stopped serving buses in 2018 sadly
There is a Light Rail Extension from Penn Station to the Light Rail Network, but it has been close since the 1990s. The main reason is the Light Rail, when built in the 1980s, used an abandoned rail line from the Southside to Penn Station. Thus it was an easy extension to get to Penn Station. The problem is as the LRV leaves Penn Station it enters the tunnel where the rest of the LRV system is, but facing out of town while the rest of the LRV route goes to two more stops in Downtown Pittsburgh, turns around and meet the track from Penn Station as both leave downtown Pittsburgh.
Today, it is even worse as the rest of the Light Rail system goes to its other two stops in Downtown Pittsburgh and then cross under the Allegheny River to a new stop next to the Steeler's football stadium. The LRVs then turnaround and heads for the South Hills and still only joins the route from Penn Station as both leave Downtown Pittsburgh.
Sorry, an extension exists but given its location it is useless.
You know, this makes sense. It’s hard to completely undo car-centric development and replace highways with trains in a short time. Busways are kind of a nice alternative that could relatively easily be converted into dedicated TOD rail systems in the future. Not bad for an American city lol
and it's even crazier that this was built way back in the '80's. Pretty forward thinking and ahead of its time. With some clever rebrand and better advertising and initiative for TOD, this route could absolutely shine.
Bus Rapid Transit systems are great!!!
Thanks for making me aware of this, Caleb! I’m currently at Smithfield St + Sixth Ave waiting for the P1.
Wait you're riding a thing because I made a video about it?!
There are three busways in Pittsburgh. The most prominent is the East Busway featured here. There's also the West Busway and South Busway.
I visited a friend whose apartment backed up to one of the entrance ramps to that busway. They’re really unique to Pittsburgh. Some would say the lines should be restored to rail. I think the busways’ strengths are the flexibility to collect or distribute routes from downtown to many different neighborhoods.
Why don’t more cities do this? Simple. They don’t have the real estate, namely, the abandoned rail corridors.
The suburbs of Philadelphia has one, and Los Angeles has at least two.
2:00 Wait, Cleveland has grade-separated busways? Where? This Clevelander since 1985 hasn't seen them.
Every so often the politicians in the community state they want it converted to a Light Rail Vehicle system. PAT keeps saying no for PAT hates Light Rail and wants buses. In fact when PAT was formed in the early 1960s, one of the reason for forming PAT was to eliminate the remaining streetcars in Pittsburgh by replacing them with buses. That dogma is still in the heart of PAT (having adopted a new name "Pittsburgh Regional Transit").
While most of the inclines were gone before PAT took over mass transit in Pittsburgh from the old Pittsburgh Railway Company, PAT was the agencies that close the Castle Shannon Incline (The last Vehicular incline in Pittsburgh) and wanted to close down the Duquesne Incline (The later was saved by a private group who raised the money to save the Duquesne Incline with little help from PAT). PAT replaced the Castle Shannon incline with the 34-C Warrington-Grandview bus (a discontinued bus route).
The biggest problem was, even today, the fastest way to reach the top of Mt. Washington is by Incline and while the Right of Way for the Castle Shannon Incline still exists, PAT refuses even to consider rebuilding the Castle Shannon Incline. This is true even as it becomes clear it easier for bicyclists to reach the top of Mt Washington then the present methods. Technically you can take a bicycle up the Monongahela Incline but it is a tight fit. I have ridden a bicycle on the Johnstown Incline, which is a true vehicular inline, and the fact the Johnstown incline was built to haul wagons, a bicycle is an easy fit on such a true vehicular incline. I have used a mobility scooter on the much smaller Monongalia Incline and it is a very tight fit. Bicycles would be easier but not by much.
The Castle Shannon, Knoxville incline (Close 1960) and Penn Avenue incline (Closed 1954) were all Pittsburgh base vehicular inclines and would be a boom to the growing bicycle culture of Pittsburgh. The Castle Shannon was close to Smithfield Street Bridge (and the Monongahela incline) and with the Knoxville Incline would provide a much better way up MT Washington for bicyclists then using the much smaller Monongahela Incline. As to the Penn Avenue incline, it would provide a good way for bicyclists to go from the Strip District to the Hill District (permitting bicyclists the ability to go over a much flatter route to Oakland, and the Universities in Oakland, then biking from Downtown Pittsburgh to Oakland). The Strip District is very flat compared to the roads between Downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland. Remember the second and third most used transit stop in Pennsylvania are Downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland (Downtown Philadelphia is the largest transit stop in Pennsylvania) and any way to aid movement between Downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland should be looked into.
Hopefully in the future they can add at grade and tunnel light rail for the east and west busway.
Richmond Virginia has been working on a BRT system of its own called the Pulse. Unlike Pittsburgh, the Richmond system utilized some repurposed lanes on its most notorious strod as bus only lanes for its bus way. According to the city of Richmond, the Pulse already has a BRT bronze score, and more improvements are being made. There isn't much information about the Pulse on TH-cam. You should come down to Richmond and see what you think of it.
This is really cool. I gotta check this out soon. This has to be the first real BRT in the US, and probably the best today.
Boston has same busway system but underground (from South Boston waterfront to South station). Hopefuly they can expand it to its aiport and even add a light rail line parallel to it. With a light rail underground silver line from Logan to Ruggles station.
The pittsburgh west and east busway really need a light rail transit line parallel to it (at grade and tunnel).
Hopefully cities will implement bus golf cart light buspaths and allow long haul buses to use busways after branching from the highway. Also, implementing seprated truckways for freight transportation where roads widening will be unfeasible.
That’s really neat! I hope you’re doing well. 😊
If I remember this with 28X to Robinson and the Airport, I think I been on it then. And if it is the same one you are referring to. I stayed at a hotel near Robinson Town Center before in 2018.
The MLK Jr. busway is the East Busway, which goes from Penn/Union to Swissvale; the 28X follows West Carson to West Busway, and exits off to I-376.
That was the West Busway, not the East Busway.
I take a bus quite frequently to East liberty
Anytime I have to go there. I take the light rail from Allegheny Station to steel Plaza and then transfer to the P1 at the US steel building and it is very fast.
I hope one day that they will extend the E. Bus Way to Monroeville and beyond
This reminds me of Eugene, OR’s EMX bus system! Check that out! Really cool 😎
This is how all highways should be. If I owned a highway I would only allow buses & semi trucks, charge a small fee (charge more eco friendly vehicles less)this might get more people to use buses over cars cause they can get places much faster cause less traffic
How do you keep using music in your videos? Is there an approved list somewhere or has it just been lucky?
Imagine if they electrified the busses and highways.
Or turned it into a light rail and bus transit way or a metro line...
@@losh330 Or a skateboard ramp!
@@CausticLemons7 ???
@@losh330 Skateboarding is a low carbon activity, so all these ideas are equally good... lmao
Miami has a busway
Especially on the Dolphin expressway.
Why wasn't this done in light rail instead?
Damn budget, busway is better than no transit lines existing there.
They should turn the bus highways into a light rail and bus only transit way or even a metro line. There is definitely enough demand and it would be quite cheap to do. As it currently sits those Transit ways are quite inefficient.
✌🏾
I remember those buses when I was in Pittsburgh. I was making a delivery to a Lumber Company, I had a little trouble finding the lumber company it was down by the railroad tracks and a town cop keep showing up every time I made a turn I almost got stuck on a back street with a48 ft tractor trailer I remember seeing the buses as I was jockying around trying to find my way into where the lumber company was I ended up going over a bridge that wise said to be overweight for the truck I had I ended up getting a fine and I was not too happy about it because the bridge look like an old railroad bridge that you could have driven a locomotive over which would have Weighed more than the truck and the load I was driving. I won't recommend Pittsburgh in anybody's travels
Buses were set up to kill the trolley lines that once existed across the country bye General Motors. We once had massive transportation system that actually worked. After the buses took over and shut down the trolley lines the decline in services started which is why we are left with such massive traffic jams. Personally I think bus systems are a waste since they took over something that was already working.
Exactly. They could EASILY turn this bus only highway into a light rail and bus only transit way or even a full metro line. It would be very inexpensive too.
@losh330 but why? Busses can leave the bus way and hit very small suburban streets. Street cars cannot with the infustructure built in the US
@@jdonovan74most of the street car lines were private. The state and city abandoned them when they have the money to keep them.
The busway is a wider footprint with an impervious surface requiring salt in the winter. A bus has more toxins to leak, along with tire crumbs. A worn out railway wheel is 100% recyclable.
>most of the time riding the bus isn't fun
hey
😜