General Information

[ Study Description ] [ Background ] [ Study Process ] [ Frequently Asked Questions ]

Study Description

The Eastern Corridor Transit Study Transitional Analysis to Locally Preferred Alternatives (ECTS-TA) was being sponsored by the Southwest Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), Westmoreland County Transit Authority (WCTA), Allegheny County and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to advance the results of the Eastern Corridor Transit Study (ECTS) toward implementation of one or more transit investments.

The ECTS, completed in December 2003, identified public transportation needs and opportunities within a study area bordered by the Golden Triangle on the west, the eastern suburbs and Westmoreland County on the east, the Allegheny River on the north and the Monongahela River on the south. Opportunities to improve public transportation were based on the need to utilize existing resources, support economic development and provide reasonable probability for moving forward to future phases of development. The Eastern Corridor Study recommended six alternatives in five corridors for advancement to the next level of study.  The cTransitional Analysis is reviewed those six alternatives and identified which should be moved ahead the earliest. 

The alternatives under consideration (shown in the map below) were in each of five corridors:

Allegheny Valley Commuter Rail: Downtown Pittsburgh to Arnold

• Commuter Rail service along the southern shore of the Allegheny River via the  Allegheny Valley Railroad right-of-way

Norfolk Southern Commuter Rail:

• Commuter Rail service along the Norfolk Southern right-of-way via East Pittsburgh, Irwin, etc., possible extension to Latrobe.

SpineLine Light Rail/BRT: Downtown to Oakland and points East

• Light Rail along city streets (underground or at-grade) to Oakland with extension along city streets to Wilkinsburg or along CSX right-of-way to Hazelwood and Homestead
• Bus Rapid Transit on city streets

East Busway Extension: Swissvale to East Pittsburgh or Monroeville

• Extension of the East Busway along Norfolk Southern right-of-way to East Pittsburgh, with the possibility of using Tri-Boro or Mon-Fayette Expressway into Monroeville.

Mon Valley Light Rail: Downtown Pittsburgh to McKeesport and Etna along the CSX right-of-way.

• Light Rail service underground from Steel Plaza to Convention Center, along the Allegheny Valley Railroad right-of-way to 33rd Street and two branches from 33rd street along CSX right-of-way to Etna and to McKeesport via Oakland, Hazelwood and the northern/eastern shore of the Monongahela River.

Map Of Alternatives Recommended In The Eastern Corridor Transit Study.
Click here or on the image for a color version of this map in PDF format.

Background

The ECTS, sponsored by the Port Authority of Allegheny County (PAAC), the SPC and WCTA, was a multi-corridor study that identified the public transportation needs and community concerns in an area extending from Pittsburgh’s Golden Triangle to the eastern suburbs and parts of Westmoreland County between the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. The ECTS was completed in a manner consistent with the federally prescribed process for development of transit investments that may seek federal funding.

The federal process, depicted in Figure 1, begins with Alternatives Analysis (AA), where transportation needs are identified, suitable transit solutions are developed, recommendations are made and Locally Preferred Alternatives (LPAs) are chosen. The ECTS completed most of the AA process, but did not move to the final step of choosing LPAs. The ECTS-TA updated the recommendations in the ECTS and conducted the public outreach necessary to designate one or more LPAs to enter into the region’s Long Range Plan.

Figure 1: Federal Major Investment Planning and Project Development Process

With concurrence from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), one or more of the LPAs from the ECTS-TA would move into the next stages of the federal process:

• Advanced Planning and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) - These two processes can be performed simultaneously. In this step, a corridor study would be performed to revisit one of the previously selected LPAs independently from the other LPAs. At the initiation of the DEIS, a public scoping process would be performed, in which it would be determined what will be reviewed in the DEIS. At this stage, if desired, any other relevant alternatives or options to the LPA could be added to the review, although a larger number of alternatives would result in a longer process. All alternatives that are added within the corridor should also satisfy the purpose and needs statement developed in the AA process. Advanced planning would be a more detailed study effort than AA since it would focus on one corridor, as opposed to the six corridors that were evaluated in the ECTS. Each alternative included in the DEIS scoping would be analyzed in the advanced planning study while coordinating with the environmental review in the DEIS. At the completion of this stage, an application for New Starts Funding would be completed and submitted to the FTA with a request to enter Preliminary Engineering (PE).
• Preliminary Engineering – Preliminary engineering would refine the final alternatives from the Advanced Planning stage to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and to develop more detailed cost estimates. This stage is a demonstration of the sponsoring agency’s ability to design, manage and finance the construction of the transit investment.
• Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) – The FEIS is a revision of the DEIS that accounts for any changes made to the project’s design made during PE and addresses environmental issues raised during the DEIS process. The FEIS would be submitted to the FTA, which would determine whether the project had satisfied the environmental requirements of NEPA. If the project satisfies the requirements it would receive a Record of Decision (ROD) or a Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSI). Once the Project has completed PE and received either a ROD or a FONSI it would be eligible to advance into Final Design.
• Final Design – The Final Design phase is defined by the FTA to include right-of-way acquisition, utility relocation, and the preparation of final construction plans (including construction management plans), detailed specifications, construction cost estimates, and bid documents. At this point the financial plan would be finalized and the FTA could enter into a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) with the project’s sponsoring agency to provide federal funds for a percentage of the project’s construction costs.
• Construction – Once all previous steps have been completed and an FFGA has been issued, the project can begin construction.
• Start-up and Operation – Start-up includes testing, training and initiation of transit service.

[ top ]

ECTS-TA Study Process

The ECTS-TA is a Transitional Analysis, meaning it is not a full AA, but a small analysis that will build on the statement of needs and the recommendations of the ECTS to choose Locally Preferred Alternative corridors advanced through the remainder of the federal project development process. The ECTS-TA will not redo or replace the work done in the ECTS, only update it.

Since the next step in the federal process allows review of an LPA plus any other promising alternatives that might not have been considered at this stage, the ECTS-TA will not focus on developing new alternatives. Once study corridors have been chosen as LPAs and have been advanced to the next level of study, any realistic alternatives in those corridors that satisfy the purpose and needs statement can be reviewed. This would allow for a wide range of new alternatives in Advanced Planning, as is evident from the seven study corridor needs identified in the ECTS:

1. Improve transit choices in the Study Corridor – Provide more rapid transit service and choices in the study area, inclusive of community circulator routes within neighborhoods and improved connections to through routes. Improve access to Oakland, the second largest activity center in Southwestern Pennsylvania, from the Airport as well as other points in the corridor. Consider serving areas beyond the study corridor (e.g. Pittsburgh International Airport, Cranberry) and improve service and connections to developing areas such as the Waterfront (Homestead), Monroeville, RIDC and Penn Township. Provide more park and ride lots for convenient access to both fixed guideway transit and fixed-route bus.
2. Improve the quality of service and amenities at station stops and transfer points – Provide more direct and efficient links between the suburbs, urban areas and activity centers. Lengthen transit service periods and provide more frequent service to allow more flexibility to access jobs and recreational activities during non-business hours. Upgrade transit stops with sufficient seating areas, protection from the elements and visually aesthetic designs. Provide better information about transit service routes, transfer points and intermodal connections including those between service providers.
3. Preserve, protect and utilize existing transportation resources – Identify a mechanism to preserve rail rights-of-way within the study corridor and region. Improve transit service and access in the Allegheny Valley through the use of an underutilized transportation facility (e.g. Allegheny Valley Railroad) to accommodate transit service to areas in Lawrenceville, Oakmont and New Kensington. Provide dedicated bus lanes and/or transit prioritization to speed up service between areas in Westmoreland and Allegheny Counties.
4. Enhance environmental quality – Relieve air and noise pollution by considering environmentally friendly transit vehicles and modes. Consider light rail vehicles or cleaner and quieter fuel technologies on the East Busway. Improve the appearance of station stops and shelters through landscaping and attractive design. Increase investments in pedestrian and bicycle facilities along existing and planned fixed guideway transit investments. Utilize existing transportation resources such as transit and railroad rights-of-way to avoid new disturbances to the environment from a construction and operational perspective.
5. Reduce congestion with effective transit solutions – All of the major roadways in the study area, such as I-376, Routes 28, 22, 30, 48, 286, 51 and 837, are now and are projected to be congested, with a majority of the roadways operating in the highly and severely congested range. It is important to provide a viable transit alternative to create transportation options that reduce reliance on single occupancy vehicles.
6. Coordinate transit and community planning to enhance economic development and quality of life – Improve collaboration between transit agencies, regional planning organizations, local townships/municipalities and neighborhood planning efforts to coordinate future transit investment locations/designs with community plans. Increase economic development opportunities along existing and planned transit guideways. Create partnerships between businesses and transit to coordinate development and service planning coordination that matches employee needs. Update transit facilities so that they are community assets.
7. Develop a transit network that conveniently and continuously links people and activity centers – Integrate a fixed guideway transit system that connects through downtown Pittsburgh to serve various parts of the region. Improve service from the Hill District to other parts of the region to eliminate the need for a transfer. Reduce automobile and bus congestion in downtown Pittsburgh to relieve gridlock during peak commuter periods and during special events. The process for the ECTS-TA will follow the steps shown in Figure 2, to move toward implementation of transit investments to satisfy the needs of the ECTS corridor:

Figure 2: ECTS-TA Study Process

The steps in the ECTS-TA study process were:

• Update/Modify ECTS Alternatives – Through outreach to stakeholders the assumptions made for the ECTS alternatives were updated to reflect current conditions and any developments over the previous two years. A few minor changes also made to the alternatives to improve their performance or cost. Cost estimates were updated to 2006 dollars.
• Review the updated alternatives/Select draft LPAs – An initial review process that was approved by the Steering Committee was completed internally to determine which alternatives have the best chance of moving forward through the Federal process. Based on the results of this review, draft LPAs were designated.
• Public outreach to confirm draft LPAs – The alternatives were presented to stakeholders, elected officials and the public through a variety of outreach methods to confirm or revise the selections. Following the outreach, final LPAs were designated.
• Financing strategies – Financing strategies were developed for the final LPAs, including identification of possible funding sources and discussion of the impacts related to various funding methods, in particular the impacts of using federal funding versus state funding.
• Coordination with the FTA– Throughout the ECTS-TA the FTA was consulted to ensure that the study progressed in a manner consistent with FTA’s requirements for advancement to Advanced Planning and DEIS. Specifically, it was ensured, to the extent possible, that the ECTS-TA was performed so that the ECTS purpose and needs statement, which was developed through an extensive and comprehensive public outreach effort, will satisfy the purpose and needs requirements of the next study phases.

[ top ]

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Transitional Analysis?

The Eastern Corridor Transit Study Transitional Analysis to Locally Preferred Alternatives (ECTS-TA) is an extension of the previously completed Eastern Corridor Transit Study (ECTS). The ECTS considered public transit improvements in the area from the Golden Triangle to Westmoreland County between the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers.

The purpose of the ECTS-TA was to complete the Alternatives Analysis process that was begun in the ECTS so that the recommended alternatives can move toward implementation. The study set the stage for the next steps of the Federal Project Development Process by choosing Locally Preferred Alternatives from those recommended in the ECTS. This allows them to be eligible for future Federal financial assistance.

What is an LPA?

A Locally Preferred Alternative, or LPA, is a reasonable transit alternative that is technically feasible and has the support and financial backing of local residents, stakeholders, and elected officials. It is determined through technical evaluation and comments received through public outreach.

Why aren’t there any alternatives to the airport?

This transitional analysis was the next step forward for the alternatives from the Eastern Corridor Transit Study. The ECTS only looked at the area from the Golden Triangle eastward to Westmoreland County, between the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers. Therefore, there are no ECTS alternatives that extend west to the Pittsburgh International Airport. Other studies, such as the Airport Multimodal Study, have looked at transit alternatives to the Airport. While none of those alternatives were considered in the Transitional Analysis, many of the alternatives that were reviewed in the study were created in a manner that would allow them to easily join together with, or provide transfers to the airport alternatives reviewed in the Airport Multimodal Study. No changes were made to the ECTS alternatives that would reduce their compatibility with the alternatives proposed in the Airport Multimodal Study.

Why are we following the federal process?

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) manages the New Starts Program, which provides financial assistance to construct new rail or bus rapid transit services that meet their criteria and compare well to peer projects. In order to be eligible for that funding a project must be developed according to the FTA’s prescribed process. Therefore we are following the federal process to make the recommended ECTS alternatives remain eligible for federal funding.

What about maglev?

Maglev was not a part of this study. The proposed maglev project is being investigated in a separate study (http://www.portauthority.org/PAAC/News/TransportationStudies/PAMaglevProject/tabid/312/Default.aspx) and has different goals than the Transitional Analysis. The maglev study is a demonstration project funded by the Federal Railroad Administration that focuses on finding a reasonable corridor in which to implement the first passenger revenue service using a specific new technology (maglev). The Transitional Analysis is focused on developing new services to meet the transportation needs of the area east of downtown Pittsburgh, using the technology is most suited to that specific service (commuter rail, light rail, bus rapid transit or bus). The maglev study and the Transitional Analysis developed projects that would seek federal funding assistance from different federal sources (Federal Transit Administration’s New Starts Program vs. Federal Railroad Administration’s Maglev Deployment Program).

When will a new transit line be built?

The exact timeline for a transit project depends on the overall project size and complexity, environmental factors and availability of funding. With no major setbacks, the type of projects discussed in this Transitional Analysis could require anywhere from 3 to 10 years to be completed and fully operational.

What can I do to help support one of these alternatives?

One of the criteria that the Federal Transit Administration uses to determine whether or not to help fund the construction of a new transit service is how much support that transit service has in the community it would serve. All of the public outreach efforts for the Transitional Analysis have concluded at this time. No further comments will be accepted for use in the Transitional Analysis; however, if you would still like to comment on the alternatives, you can do so by contacting SPC at (412) 391-5590 or comments@spcregion.org. Your comments will be saved for reference on future study phases.

[ top ]