tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827693385416759170.post2955838035591934657..comments2023-10-25T05:03:57.933-04:00Comments on PGH is a City: Parking Garages Versus Port Authorityillyriashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07729280972013286906noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827693385416759170.post-738015989617175202009-04-29T09:22:00.000-04:002009-04-29T09:22:00.000-04:00One of my guilty pleasures is reading about the de...One of my guilty pleasures is reading about the decline of the older suburban neighborhoods where the first wave of Pittsburghers left and settled into. They've sold their municipal water and sewage, privatized the garbage collection and facility maintenance, laid off the police force, and downsized the volunteer fire department. <br /><br />Anywho...<br /><br />Following the tails of the city's recent unpleasantness, why not have the County demolish a few of their bridges leading into downtown? We'll start with 16th street and South 10th Street, then see if there's an uptick of city housing purchases and transit ridership? It'd be expensive to demo, but it'll save us taxpayers in the long run and will allow for further rightsizing at the county - which always scores points with the electorate.<br /><br />The city could demolish a few more, too. One or two in Homewood and Lincoln-Larimer, one in Bloomfield/North Oakland, ... the list is quite long. And because the city loves throwing parties, we'll make each demo an event with fireworks and Mark Pipas, Bill Deasy, Formula 412 or somesuch. <br /><br />By reducing the burden of fixed infrastructure, which are no longer assets due to their state of decay, we eliminate new debt for repair or replacement. Additionally, from a planning perspective we restrict mobility between communities and compact neighborhood growth. <br /><br />So to bring this back to your post: When we restrict mobility on surface streets, then the prospect of elevated or subterranean mass transit becomes a worthy pursuit to service the demand.n'athttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15921583757748199702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827693385416759170.post-25247088697792410752009-04-28T14:07:00.000-04:002009-04-28T14:07:00.000-04:00I agree 100% Schultz! Expand the light rail/subwa...I agree 100% Schultz! Expand the light rail/subway.Jermainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09592233003703878040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-827693385416759170.post-69389540938096762972009-04-28T09:43:00.000-04:002009-04-28T09:43:00.000-04:00City dwellers take the bus or walk to work.
That ...<I>City dwellers take the bus or walk to work</I>.<br /><br />That is half the truth - while a higher percentage of city dwellers walk or take public transportation compared to the burbs, many of them still drive and use parking garages. A lot suburbanites do take the bus or ride the T (most parking lots out there are full by 8am). My solution to this issue of parking garages is this - expand our subway and light rail beyond downtown, and sell the parking garages. The city will reap both cash up front and future property tax revenues. As long as we have a comprehensive commuter / light rail / subway system, in addition to the busways, then I can't feel to bad for the people who still drive and get stuck with paying higher parking rates when they have an affordable alternative in public transportation. I think part of the problem with cheap gas and cheap parking is that most people will use the "inconvenience" excuse for not taking the bus or train into work. Until it gets expensive to do otherwise, they won't do it.Schultzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15081403187993259643noreply@blogger.com