People, Place, and Transportation in Pittsburgh
By David Zubenko
Table of Contents Introductory Material:
Proposed Changes:
1
Problem Statement/Precedents
10
Additions to LRT and Transportation Hubs
2
What is GeoDesign?
11
New Transportation Hubs - Northside
12
New Transportation Hubs - Downtown
Analysis Maps: 3
Population Density of Pittsburgh
13
New Transportation Hubs - Downtown
4
Heat Map of Points of Interest
14
New Transportation Hubs - Southside
5
Current Bus System
15
New Transportation Hubs - Southside
6
Current LRT System
16
How the System Works
7
Bus Stops per Census Tract
17
The Beginning
8
Number of People per Bus Stop
18
The End
9
Slope Map
19
Conclusion/Bibliography
Problem Statement For many years the citizens of Pittsburgh have been forced to endure an ineffective transportation network that suffers from an overreliance on cars and an underdeveloped public transit component. These issues are compounded by the city’s unique topography, which provides its own set of challenges. People, Place, and Transportation in Pittsburgh is a GeoDesign project that seeks to provide an effective public transit system that will aid the city’s overall transportation network. In particular the project will look at how place effects transportation, and how transportation effects the people of the city. An overview of some of the current transportation systems is below. Vehicular Transportation: The restrictions imposed by the city’s topography are most apparent when it comes to vehicular transportation. The road networks (including bridges and tunnels) designed to navigate the rivers and hills are often constructed in a piece-meal manner. This lack of a unified approach has resulted in an inefficient system that is the cause of much traffic congestion. When combined with the inefficiency and environmental impact of automobiles it is apparent that other forms of transportation can better serve the city and its residents. Bus: Pittsburgh’s bus system was developed in the 1960s by the Port Authority of Allegheny County. Since then the system has grown to 875 buses that provide service for 305 routes. The South, MLK Jr East, and West Busways compose the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) portion of the system. Although it encounters some of the same issues as vehicular transportation, each bus has the advantage of serving dozens of people at a time while staying on a consistent and predictable path. Therefore, BRT will be considered in this analysis. Light Rapid Transit (LRT): The LRT System, commonly known at the “T”, is Pittsburgh’s light rail service. The 26.2 miles of track are concentrated in the downtown and southern regions of the city, leaving many other areas unserved. Over the years there have been a variety of proposals to improve the system, and along with the larger concept of LRT they will be included in this project.
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Precedents Singapore Since it’s independence from Britain in 1965 Singapore has developed a world class transportation system that works to integrate itself into its surroundings. As noted in Robert Cervero’s book The Transit Metropolis: A Global Inquiry: “Growth outside the core has been organized into concentrated, mixed-use centers that are efficiently linked by high-capacity transit services - notably rail, but also an assortment of conventional and double-deck buses that are privately owned and operated. Planners have consciously sited high-rise housing and office buildings near transit stops to maximize accessibility.” This pattern of development falls into what Cervero calls “adaptive cities”, or cities that have designed their transit networks around, “larger societal goals such as preserving open space and producing affordable housing.” The system in Singapore is most notable for its efficiency, which is key in a congested city like Pittsburgh. It is also built around urban hubs, something this project will try to emulate.
Ottawa Ottawa is like Pittsburgh in that it has a very compact center. To help connect this center to its surroundings Ottawa has exploited BRT to its maximum potential. In particular the system features, “express bus and limited-stop routes that provide passengers with a direct, no-transfer ride between their homes and places of work.” While the Singapore approach emphasizes efficiency by placing public transportation where it is needed, the Ottawa approach goes one step further and identifies how people use the system. To help facilitate this strategy the city has developed bus only lanes and limited the amount of public parking, which if effective would be huge for a city like Pittsburgh that struggles to provide places for people to park their cars. The stations that serve the Ottawa BRT are mixed use and take full advantage of their location, something that will be mirrored in this proposal. Although Pittsburgh has not yet implemented BRT on a large scale designing a transportation system based on Ottawa’s will leave this possibility open.
My Definition In short GeoDesign is using geography to inform design. It uses GIS to bring together layers of information that can then be analyzed as part of the design process. By doing so it integrates a variety of information from a variety of scales and allows the user to test different scenarios to determine the best option. This integration process also highlights connections that might otherwise be missed. In a GeoDesign framework these connections will be noticed and can be used to strengthen the design. What truly differentiates GeoDesign, however, is its interactive nature. Users can change a design parameter and get almost instantaneous feedback on how the change will affect the project. In addition, this framework permits and encourages a collaborative effort that aids the design process. GeoDesign is also very transparent, as its fluid nature allows everyone to see everything at once and generate a dialog about the design. Finally, the nature of GIS data allows GeoDesign to consider aspects that otherwise might be excluded from the design process. This holistic tendency is something that is difficult if not impossible in the traditional design framework as each designer is limited to the storage and analytic capacity of their own mind. As one would expect transportation networks are very complex, and as a result GeoDesign was chosen for the analysis portion of the project. This analysis lead to a series of recommendations to improve Pittsburgh’s public transit system and consequentely its overall transportation network.
What is GeoDesign? What the experts have to say... Imagine picking up a stylus and sketching the initial design for a 4-lane boulevard through a new area of town. As you sketch the in a GeoDesign environment, a chart informs you on-the-fly of the social and environmental impacts of the proposed design, such as: Construction cost Runoff Non-point source pollution Predicted vehicle related deaths and injuries based on a 40 mph speed limit Estimates of air pollutants and their impact on health and climate
The number of injuries and the amount of air pollutants are too high and need to come down. A glance at the chart shows that shielding pedestrians from vehicles by sketching trees between the road and sidewalk, and calming traffic by sketching in curb extensions, lowers the predicted impacts significantly, but not enough. An additional iteration is needed to meet the team’s goals. A decision is made to split opposing lanes with a median to further decrease vehicle related death and injury. Someone then recommends changing the median type from concrete to a bioswale dotted with trees. These changes are sketched, and the chart reveals that the new design reduces runoff, non-point source pollution, and air pollutants while also reducing injuries. The team is satisfied with the latest design.
GeoDesign is... ...design that considers or is influenced by its geography or landscape - Shannon McElvaney, ESRI ...designing with nature in mind - Jack Dangermond, co-founder, ESRI ...design in geographic space - Bill Miller, ESRI ...extending GIS to support creative design - Ra jesh Mathur, Vice Chairman, NIIT GIS Ltd ...changing geography by design - Carl Steinitz, Professor of Landscape Architecture, Harvard
Harvard Landscape Architecture Professor Carl Steinitz is considered the “father” of GeoDesign. Below is his “GeoDesign Framework” from his book “A Framework for GeoDesign: Changing Geography by Design”
That is GeoDesign. It allows the designer to do their creative design work with the same ease as with pencil on paper, while receiving near real-time feedback on the impact of that design thanks to GIS analysis being performed in the background. And that is the vision of GeoDesign: to provide a fundamental alternative to the way design is currently done, leading towards better solutions, better designs, and a better future.
An example of GeoDesign from “GeoDesign: Case Studies in Regional and Urban Planning” by Shannon McElvaney
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Population Densities of Selected Places in People per Square Mile Dhaka, Bangladesh - 115,200 Manila, Philippines - 111,002 Manhattan, NYC - 69,468 Delhi, India -66,135 Guttenberg, NJ - 55,821 Paris, France - 54,899 Cario, Egypt - 46,804 Seoul, South Korea - 44,691 Athens, Greece - 43,595 New York City, NY - 26,953 San Francisco, CA - 17,246 Boston, MA - 13,321 Chicao, IL - 11,868 Philadelphia, PA - 11,234 Miami, FL - 10,161 Pittsburgh, PA - 5,540 Generally speaking American cities have lower population densities than their international counterparts, and this trend holds true for Pittsburgh as well. The Census tracts for the downtown area have population densities comparable to San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Miami. Sources: US Census and Forbes Magazine
0
0.5
1
2 Miles
N <500
3
500 to 5000
5000 to 7000
7000 to 15000
15000+
By: David Zubenko Sources: PASDA City of Pittsburgh
Schools (180)
Hospitals (20)
Ballfields (130)
Libraries (20)
Citywide Attracitions (89)
Pools (36)
Universities (24)
0
0.5
1
2 Miles
N 0 to 2
3 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 14
15+
Rec Centers (20)
Senior Centers (19)
Museums (9)
By: David Zubenko Sources: PASDA City of Pittsburgh
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Current Bus System The bus system is primarily composed by the South Busway, MLK Jr East Busway, and West Busway. The system has 875 buses that provide service to 305 routes. It utilizes previously established right of ways that once served streetcars and rail networks. Maps of the three main lines ae below, courtesy of the Port Authority of Allegheny County.
0
5
0.5
1
2 Miles
N
By: David Zubenko Sources: PASDA City of Pittsburgh
Current LRT System The LRT system, commonly known as the “T”, is Pittsburgh’s light rail service. The 26.2 miles of track are consentrated in the downtown and southern regions of the city, leaving many other areas unserved. Over the years there have been a variety of proposals to improve the system:
Ben Sampson
Edward Shin
Craig Toolcheck http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-06042012-233810/unrestricted/Samson_BL_T_2012.pdf
0
0.5
1
2 Miles
N
By: David Zubenko Sources: PASDA City of Pittsburgh
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As one would expect the bus stops tend to be concentrated in the downtown area. Despite this there are some census tracts that do not have as many stops as one would expect. This scarcity can by counterbalanced if the stops are used frequently, or if only a few stops are needed. These considerations tie into the larger concept of how the system is used. Most notably, how is use of the system spread out over time and space? Or, to put it another way, where and when is the system busy? By determining how and why people use the system we can design a smarter, more efficient network. To this end a study out of George Mason University has suggested that a way to improve service may be to eliminate stops. The researchers focused on the CUE system in Fairfax, Virginia, and determined that 53 out of 121 stops could be eliminated if people were willing to walk up to 800 meters (~ 1/2 mile) to the nearest station. The system would still provide coverage to 82 percent of the area while reducing travel time and operating expenses by about 23 percent. While I believe that all areas in Pittsburgh (as well as other cities) should be covered, all of them probably have unnecessary stops that could be eliminated. The study is available here: h tt p : //w w w. n c tr. u s f.e d u /w p - co n te n t / u p l o a d s / 2 0 1 3 / 0 7/ 1 6 . 2 _ z o l n i k . p d f
0
0.5
1
2 Miles
N 0 to 9
7
10 to25
26 to 39
40 to 49
50+
By: David Zubenko Sources: US Census City of Pittsburgh
This map shows the number of people per bus stop, measured by census tract. Two of the tracts did not have any bustops and therefore were not included. When compared to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bus Stops per Census Tractâ&#x20AC;? one can see a positive correlation between the number of people and the number of bus stops. This makes sense, however, it is also important to remember that some areas with many attractions and few people may need multiple stops, while an area with many people could effectively be served with only a few stops. A graph of this relationship is below, with the most egregious outliers excluded.
0
0.5
1
2 Miles
N 0 to 49
50 to 99
100 to 149
150 to 199
200+
N/A
By: David Zubenko Sources: PASDA City of Pittsburgh
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Slope Map This map shows Pittburgh’s various bus routes overlayed on a visualization of the region’s slope gradient. As expected the downtown area has little slope, particularly along the rivers. In steeper areas bus routes have been designed to go through the path of least resistance. The city’s hilly nature impacts all forms of transportation.
The Duquesne Incline rises above the city
0
0.5
1
2 Miles
N 0 to 6
9
7 to 14
15 to 24
25 to 38
39+
By: David Zubenko Sources: PASDA City of Pittsburgh
Additions to LRT and Transportation Hubs Upon reviewing the analysis maps it became apparent that the northern and eastern regions of Pittsburgh have a large number of people and destinations that are not being served by the current transportation system. To correct this situation LRT lines were added in these areas of the city. The LRT stations associated with these lines, along with some existing stations, will serve as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Transportation Hubsâ&#x20AC;?. More specifically these are regions where the LRT stations have been integrated into the bus system in order to maximize the overall officiency of the network. This was done to create a hierachical structure where the LRT serves as the backbone of a network that is feed by the bus system, which was also updated to meet the needs of the city. The following pages illustrate these Transportation Hubs in more detail.
Each Transportation Hub is 1 mile in diameter
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2 Miles
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By: David Zubenko Sources: US Census City of Pittsburgh
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New Transportation Hubs - Northside New Bus Stops
Existing Bus Stops
New Bus Routes
Brighton Heights
The Brighton Heights Transportation Hub is the northernmost hub in the system. It provides access to Brighton Heights, which is noted for its historic architecture.
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New LRT Stations
Existing Bus Routes
Existing LRT Stations New LRT Lines
Marshall-Shadeland
The Marshall-Shadeland Transportation Hub serves a heavily residential area.
Points of Interest
Existing LRT Lines
Manchester
The Manchester Transportation Hub serves the historic and residential neighborhood of Manchester.
North Shore
The North Shore Transportation Hub provides access to a number of attractions such as PNC Park, Heinz Field, and the Carnegie Science Center
New Transportation Hubs - Downtown New Bus Stops
Existing Bus Stops
New Bus Routes
Central Business District
Strip District
The Central Business District Transportation Hub features four LRT stations and provides access to many of Pittsburgh’s most notable attractions.
The Strip District Transportation Hub provides access to many of Pittsburgh’s most notable shops as well as the nearby neighborhoods of Crawford Roberts and Middle Hill.
New LRT Stations
Existing Bus Routes
Existing LRT Stations New LRT Lines
Polish Hill
The Polish Hill Transportation Hub serves as a gateway to one of Pittsburgh’s many ethnic communiities.
Points of Interest
Existing LRT Lines
Bloomfield
The Bloomfield Transportation Hub serves one of Pittsburgh’s most storied neighborhoods as well as the nearby community of North Oakland
12
New Transportation Hubs - Downtown New Bus Stops
Existing Bus Stops
New Bus Routes
Shadyside
The Shadyside Transportation Hub serves one of Pittsburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most vibrant neighborhoods.
13
New LRT Stations
Existing Bus Routes
Existing LRT Stations New LRT Lines
Points of Interest
Existing LRT Lines
East Liberty
Larimer
Point Breeze-Homewood
The East Liberty Transportation Hub provides access to a variety of local shops and amenities.
The Larimer Transportation Hub is conveniently located near a number of residential neighborhoods.
The Point Breeze-Homewood Transportation Hub serves the various neighborhoods of Point Breeze and Homewood. It is also the last station on this portion of the line.
New Transportation Hubs - Southside New Bus Stops
Existing Bus Stops
New Bus Routes
New LRT Stations
Existing Bus Routes
Mount Washington
Allentown
Beltzhoover
The Mount Washington Transportation Hub provides access to the Duquesne and Monongahela Inclines as well as scenic views of the city.
The Allentown Transportation Hub features nine stops and is conveniently located in close proximity to many attractions and points of intersest.
The Beltzhoover Transportation Hub serves a p re d o m i n et l y residential neighborhood
Existing LRT Stations New LRT Lines
Points of Interest
Existing LRT Lines
Beechview
The Beechview Transportation Hub serves one of Pittsburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up and coming neighborhoods.
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New Transportation Hubs - Southside New Bus Stops
Existing Bus Stops
New Bus Routes
15
New LRT Stations
Existing Bus Routes
Existing LRT Stations New LRT Lines
Points of Interest
Existing LRT Lines
Bon Air
Brookline
Overbrook
The Bon Air Transportation Hub serves a diverse residential area.
The Brookline Transportation Hub provides access to Brookline and a number of nearby neighborhoods.
The Overbrook Transportation Hub provides access to a variety of parks and business districts.
How the System Works As mentioned the system is composed of bus routes that feed into the LRT network. To illustrate how it works a sample route has been provided and will be detailed over the following pages. The signage for the system is below. It is designed to be simple and straightforward. The bus sign is on top followed by the LRT sign.
72
27
0
0.25
0.5
1 Mile
N
By: David Zubenko Sources: US Census City of Pittsburgh
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The Beginning The sample route begins at the house of Mr. John Doe on the north side of town. From the house the Mr. Doe walks to a bus stop three houses down the street. From there it is a 1/2 mile ride to the Manchester LRT station where he boards the train, which will take him into downtown Pittsburgh.
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The End Upon reaching the Shadyside LRT station Mr. Doe departs from the train and takes a 3/4 mile bus ride that will drop him off only a few hundred feet from his destination. Over the course of his trip the LRT covered the ma jority of the distance, leaving the more nible bus system to handle specialized routes.
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Conclusion People, Place, and Transportation in Pittsburgh used a GeoDesign framework to create a more effective transportation network for the city of Pittsburgh. The process began with an analysis of several relevant factors such as population density and the location of notable destinations. The results of this analysis were used to develop a transportation strategy that emphasizes LRT and ties it to the bus network. This is done through a series of “Transportation Hubs” placed at strategic locations. As a result the city has a more effective public transportation system that will aid its overall transportation network.
Bibliography Artz, Matt. "GeoDesign: Changing Geography by Design." - Directions Magazine. 11 Mar. 2010. Web. 5 Feb. 2014. Cervero, Robert. The Transit Metropolis: A Global Inquiry. Washington, D.C.: Island, 1998. Print. Duquesne Incline, Jeff Jordan 2008 Mathur, Ra jesh. "Geodesign: Changing Geography by Design." Geodesign Summit. Redlands, California. 05 Feb. 2014. Lecture. McElvaney, Shannon. Geodesign: Case Studies in Regional and Urban Planning. Redlands, CA: Environmental Systems Research Institute, 2012. Print. Samson, Benjamin. Equilibriums of Paradox: Pittsburgh's Urban Renaissance Through Public Transport. Thesis. Virginia Tech, 2012. Shrestha, Ranjay and Edmund Zolnik. Eliminating Bus Stops: Evaluating Changes in Operations, Emissions, and Coverage. Journal of Public Transportation 16(2): 153-175. 2013. Steinitz, Carl. A Framework for Geodesign: Changing Geography by Design. Redlands, Calf.: Esri, 2012. Print. GIS data was acquired from the city of Pittsburgh, the US Census (TIGER shapefiles) and PASDA (Pennylvania Spatial Data Access) IInformation regarding Pittsburgh’s current transportation systems came from the Port Authority of Allegheny County Population density data came from the US Census and Forbes Magazine
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