Funding public transit: how did we get here?

Pittsburgh Regional Transit is facing a catastrophic budget crunch, with a projected shortfall of $100 million for the coming fiscal year unless new state and local funding is identified. All of Pennsylvania’s transit agencies are in similarly dire straits, and will be forced to take drastic steps in the coming months to cut service – including whole routes, frequency, and service hours. OPDC stands with community organizations all over Pittsburgh in demanding bold action by our state legislators to ensure PRT's buses continue to roll. 

The current crisis has been 20 years in the making, the result of back-to-back 10-year fixes that weren’t sustainable. Act 44 of 2007 provided dedicated transit funding by increasing Turnpike tolls, but that solution was designed to be temporary, and the Turnpike’s payments ended in 2022. Act 89 of 2013 tried to pick up the slack by allowing increases to wholesale gasoline tax revenue and vehicle registration fees, but it wasn’t enough to solve Act 44’s shortcomings. Increased federal funding for transportation infrastructure under the Biden administration gave us an extra three years’ reprieve... but time is now up: Pennsylvania needs to get serious about funding public transit. 

Fares cover less than half the cost of running bus service – that's been true since Port Authority was created in 1956. Without additional public funding, PRT will reduce the number of routes, cut back on frequency, and raise fares. Those actions might seem like prudent solutions to the problem, except those are the very things that make transit less useful, less accessible, and more hassle than people might think it’s worth. If fewer people ride the buses, the whole system collapses, and pretty soon there’s no transit at all. 

Without weekend and nighttime service, people can’t get to swing shift jobs. They can’t use buses to run errands on weekends. They can’t come to Oakland for evening classes or study sessions at the libraries. Local institutions absolutely rely on PRT buses to bring students, patients, and employees who live all over the county into Oakland – and longer routes are more at risk of being cut. If buses come less frequently, they become less reliable, and people with a choice start opting to drive, even though it’s more expensive and time-consuming. 

One thing all Oakland residents understand very well: our neighborhoods can’t handle more car commuters. Making room for parking makes housing more expensive and has a big impact on our quality of life.  

Whether or not you ride the bus, robust transit really matters for Oakland.

Please call your reps and ask them to help us save transit: 

• Representative Dan Frankel: 412-422-1774 

• Representative Aeron Abney: 412-471-7760 

• Representative La’Tasha Mayes: 412-665-5502 

• Senator Jay Costa: 412-241-6690

Pedestrian safety in Oakland: old challenges bring new alliances together

Residents at OPDC’s March Let’s Talk meeting discuss ideas for improving bike and pedestrian safety on Bates Street.

Oakland is dense and walkable, and many of our residents do not use cars to get around. It’s also home to busy streets where cars, buses, shuttles, and bicycles all compete for access. Safe sidewalks, street crossings, bike lanes, and access to transit are incredibly important here.  

We’re always mindful of the old saying, if you’re a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Delivering safer streets in Oakland is never simple or straightforward: problems have multiple causes, and solving those problems requires coordinated effort among stakeholders and agencies that each have different tools to offer. Over the last several months, we’ve convened conversations to ensure resident concerns are reaching the right ears at the city and our neighborhood institutions. 

Bike Pittsburgh leads residents on a pedestrian and bike safety assessment and walk through West Oakland.

Some of these issues — like those that Pitt Safe Streets and Pitt Urban Planning are highlighting on Bates Stret — are about street design and public infrastructure. At our March Let’s Talk, students and long-term residents came together to talk about their experiences trying to cross Bates, noting where visibility is poor and traffic flow is chaotic. We’re coordinating with Oakland Transportation Management Association, the Department of City Planning, and the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure to prioritize and tackle the problem intersections and enforcement challenges Oakland neighbors highlighted.  

Other pedestrian safety issues — like those West Oakland residents have raised for years about Robinson, Darragh, and Terrace Streets — are as much about the ways Oakland’s institutions manage their employees and clients coming into Oakland, as they are about street design and infrastructure. We’re supporting DOMI to work with Pittsburgh Regional Transit and emergency services about changes to traffic flow on Fifth Avenue, and we’re putting together transportation demand management planners from UPMC, Carlow, and Pitt to work proactively with DOMI to coordinate their forecasting and strategies. We continue to support West Oakland residents to be present in these conversations, because there are no good solutions without a clear definition of the problems, and it’s lived experience that best informs that analysis. 

OPDC’s 2025-2030 strategic plan calls for building social connections that support a thriving intergenerational community. We will continue to create space and opportunity for neighbors to work together to develop plans that are responsive, creative, and inclusive. For more information, or to share your Oakland pedestrian safety concerns, contact Liz Gray at 412.335.0933 or email questions@opdc.org. 

Action Alert: Join us Tuesday, January 28 to speak up for citywide zoning reform!

Confused by all the headlines surrounding the inclusionary zoning debate in Pittsburgh? Read on for our summary of who’s proposing what, our position of support for the Department of City Planning’s proposal, links to proposed legislation, and information on how you can participate online or in person at tomorrow’s important public hearing.

The City of Pittsburgh is contemplating a series of proposed zoning code changes to help increase housing options and make it easier to build more affordable housing. The Department of City Planning has proposed changes that include changing parking requirements for new building developments, legalizing accessory dwelling units, and expanding inclusionary zoning citywide. 

The City’s Planning Commission met in December to review the first half of the legislative package; they will resume this discussion and take action at their next regular public meeting on January 28. Since the initial public hearing, City Councilperson Bob Charland has introduced a competing inclusionary zoning proposal that would re-write the current inclusionary zoning code to re-define  “affordable” to include more expensive housing, require the city to subsidize it, and make participation optional. Councilperson Charland’s bill, 2024-1284, is supported by Pro Housing Pittsburgh, who believe IZ has had a depressing effect on housing development in Lawrenceville. 

Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group and Lawrenceville United recently teamed up to fact-check that belief. They’ve published an analysis of Pittsburgh’s inclusionary zoning program, including accurate local data about the impact the zoning has had on local residential development - which shows that far from slowing, Lawrenceville’s pace of residential development increased following the introduction of IZ. You can find their report here.

The Planning Commission will review and act on Councilperson Charland’s bill at the January 28 meeting before taking action on the Mayor’s amendments.

We encourage you to join us at this public hearing and speak up in support of the original Housing Needs Assessment zoning amendments. We believe that Mayor Gainey’s proposals will effectively promote development and address the lack of affordable housing by decreasing barriers to construction and mandating inclusionary zoning city-wide. You can read OPDC’s written testimony to the Planning Commission here.

Residents can join the meeting virtually or in person at 412 Boulevard of the Allies in Downtown Pittsburgh. Click here for details on how to register to attend or share public comments in writing. 

Learn more about how these changes may affect Oakland: contact us at 412.621.7863 x217 or questions@opdc.org.

Adopt-A-Block

Between September 2023 and April 2024, OPDC’s Adopt-a-Block program fielded over 300 amazing volunteers who together collected 154 bags of litter from Oakland’s residential sidewalks. OPDC is deeply grateful for each of the students that took the time this year to invest in Oakland.

Adopt-A-Block student captains organize their own teams to claim one of 17 designated routes around Oakland, and schedule clean-up events as needed throughout the school year. The program encourages a sense of ownership and pride, connects students with their neighbors, and develops teamwork and leadership skills – all while making Oakland a cleaner and healthier place to live. Thank you!

Clutter for a Cause

Every year, summer student lease turnovers clutter Oakland sidewalks with piles of unwanted stuff. Since 2018, OPDC has collaborated with the University of Pittsburgh during spring and summer move-out season to reclaim useable items (including furniture, clothing, and non-perishable food) for donation and re-sale. “Clutter for a Cause” reduces waste, saves students money, and lessens the burden on the city’s environmental services.

Collection events occur during peak lease turnover times throughout the summer, with drop-off locations and curbside pick-up services available. Long-term Oakland residents are also welcome to participate! Please contact OPDC’s Liz Gray at lgray@opdc.org for more information.