~ Guest post by Patrick Singleton ~
Many of you may have heard about the Port Authority’s Transit Development Plan, or have seen their proposals for route changes. But did you know that Port Authority has presented one plan that would eliminate all 54C bus service through Polish Hill?
Two conceptual plans can be seen on the Port Authority’s TDP website. Under Concept 1, the 54C would maintain its existing split between Polish Hill and Lawrenceville.
But under Concept 2, it would run only via Penn and Main, completely eliminating all bus service through the Polish Hill neighborhood.
Time is running out! Public comments on the concepts will only be accepted through the end of June, so submit your comments this week to the Port Authority and “Tell Them What You Think”
You don’t have to be told about what the loss of the 54C would do to the mobility of our residents or to the attractiveness of our businesses! Spread the word to your friends and neighbors to tell the Port Authority to keep the 54C in Polish Hill.
Who do we speak with/write to about this? Also, who wants to join me in agitating to keep the 54C route going thru Polish Hill? Is the Civic Association already working towards that end? If not, can it be a PHCA project?
Hello Jennifer,
If you follow the link “Tell Them What You Think”. it will take you to an online form where you can lodge your comments.
Staffski
Hello Jennie:
Clicking on the link ” tell them what you think” is the direct way to get our opinions directly to the Port Authority.
I have made contact with the Mayors Office And Patrick Dowds Office to make sure our representatives are well aware that we consider the 54C necessary for all of the Residents of Polish Hill. No other bus enters our neighborhoods heart, the other buses are too far on the boarders of our neighborhood. I would ask every one who can to click on the Blogski link and tell the Port Authority we want the 54 C to keep coming thru Polish Hill.
The Port Authority will only accept comments on the 54C until the end of June.
Hello, everyone: I just sent this in on the Port Authority web site. Maybe it’ll inspire you to write to them, too.
PLEASE do not eliminate 54C service to Polish Hill. As a Polish Hill resident and a UPMC employee (on the main Presbyterian campus) I rely on this bus route to travel to and from work. As you hopefully are aware, unless you are a physician or are in some other direct patient care role, parking is NOT AVAILABLE on campus. (In addiiton, UPMC just closed another of its lots, making any shuttle-service lots even more full.)
But cutting the service would not just impact me–obviously. There are many residents in the neighborhood (including many elderly) who depend on the 54C for transportation to/from doctor’s appointments, drug stores, grocery stores, etc….these are people who need public transportation THE MOST.
Service on Polish Hill on the 54C is already so limited that people are hesitant to rely on it (if you miss one bus–as in one doesn’t show up, which is the case more times that I’d like to admit–you can be stuck for up to an hour.)
IF the neighbhood had more reliable service, YOU WOULD HAVE MORE RIDERS. Simple as that. Eliminate it entirely, and you’re going to lose not just current ridership put potential ridership–Polish Hill is also home to a growing number of young people (many of whom are eco-friendly and see public transportation as an attractive option).
Thanks for your consideration,
Noreen Doloughty
Polish Hill