What is the current status of busways in Pittsburgh? still active? any likely extensions?
They still exist. There are three of them, the West Busway, Martin Luther King East Busway, and South Busway. The latter runs parallel to the light rail line, and at one time they even shared the same roadbed. They still do share the tunnel under Mt. Washington.
I believe that the MLK East Busway, which runs parallel to the Norfolk Southern (ex-Pennsy) mainline .... also used by the Pennsylvanian, is currently being extended further east beyond Wilkinsburg.
The West Busway is the newest, although it is possible that some of it will eventually be replaced if and when the "T" light rail gets extended to the airport beyond the first phase of new construction to the North Shore -- which will take it under the Allegheny River to serve the 2 sports venues over there.
We'll probably get a good update on their plans in October as the T is one of the field trips for the annual Association of Railway Museums convention. Last year's tour of Sacramento Light Rail's shop and the Siemans facility was very well organized.
As to light rail as an alternative mode of transportation in Vancouver, B.C., it could work if properly designed and operated. Knowing that something is a good idea and convincing the public and politicians to fund it are two different things. Even with public support and funding, it can take decades for the desired product to emerge. Here in Tucson, Arizona the streetcar is making a comeback in the downtown area and should have the first fully operational line in 2012. This is the product of over 25 years of work on the part of Old Pueblo Trolley, of which I am a member and officer.
For those unfamiliar with OPT, we were incorporated in 1983 following the expressed interest of members of the Tucson community to see the return of streetcar service in time for the centennial of the University of Arizona (1985). While that did not work out, the City of Tucson did agree to fund a real feasibility study which came back with positive results. With the results of the study, we petitioned the city leaders for support and got the issue as far as being listed on the May, 1984 city ballot. Much to our disappointment, it failed. Despite the setback, the group redoubled the effort and scaled the project back to it's present size-one mile between the intersection of 4th Avenue and 8th Streets, running up 4th Avenue to University Boulevard and then east on University to the Main Gate of the University of Arizona.
Progress on the proposed street railway moved forward with the city approving the route and granting necessary authority to utilize the public right of way in September of 1985. Track installation along 4th Avenue began in 1987, repairs to the existing right of way along University Boulevard having been performed in 1985 when a city resurfacing project exposed the 60 year old rail. Funding secured from the State of Arizona, designating Old Pueblo Trolley as a demonstration light rail line in 1990 was crucial to our timely opening of the line in 1993, employing ex-Pacific Electric #332 which was then on loan to OPT from the Orange Empire Railway Museum. That car was restored by OPT over a six year period and eventually returned to OERM, being replaced by an imported Japanese streetcar (No. 869) and ex-Brussels Tramway No. 1511.
Over the past decade, our volunteer organization has transported up to 24,000+ passengers annually operating on a limited weekend schedule. We have received much support from the University of Arizona, merchants and residents along our route and have become a key in the promotion of commerce in that area. In May of 2004, a modern streetcar line-essentially an extension of OPT's current route-was included on the ballot as part of a $2 billion transportation improvement plan that will be overseen by the Regional Transportation Administration and funded by a dedicated half cent sales tax county wide. Both measures passed by a wide margin and planning has already progressed along with some initial key (but not totally related) construction. OPT is involved with the planning and will be involved with the operation of the line as it is envisioned that heritage streetcars will share the right of way with the modern streetcars once they come on line. Construction presently occuring is the replacement of the 1916 vintage 4th Avenue underpass under the old Sunset Route. This will allow the streetcar to operate as far west as Congress Street and 5th Avenue, where the line will run one block south to Broadway Boulevard, then back to Congress and 4th Avenue-creating a loop. Congress and 5th Avenue is an important location as a major hotel, theater and transit center are located around that intersection. Eventually the line will extend as far west as the proposed University of Arizona Science Center-west of Interstate 10. On the east end, the line will be extended around the University of Arizona to the University Medical Center.
The key is patience and dedication. We have come a long way here and many other cities have gone before us. When defeated, we came back stronger because of our leadership and working with others in the community. Bear in mind that Tucson was one of the first of the smaller cities to eliminate the streetcar in favor of the bus. In 1930, the city council narrowly passed a measure in favor of replacing the Tucson Rapid Transit streetcars with buses and at midnight on December 31, 1930 Tucson Rapid Transit pulled the plug on the streetcars-for good or so it seemed.
