ROUTE 61A EAST PITTSBURGH-WILKINSBURG

ROUTE 61A EAST PITTSBURGH-WILKINSBURG Route 61A East Pittsburgh-Wilkinsburg is a radial route that operates between East Pittsburgh and downtown Pittsburgh via North Braddock, Swissvale and Edgewood, Wilkinsburg, Squirrel Hill and Oakland. It provides parallel service to the East Busway between Swissvale and Wilkinsburg Stations on local streets. Direct connections to the East Busway, however, are not available (see Figure 1). Service is available seven days a week, with service operated on halfhour headways weekdays and Saturdays. Figure 1: Route 61A East Pittsburgh-Wilkinsburg Similar Routes Route 61A originates service in East Pittsburgh on the one-way streets of Braddock, Electric and Dynamo Way. It travels through local streets through Wilkinsburg until it turns on Forbes Page 1

Avenue. Route 61A stays on Forbes Avenue through Squirrel Hill, turning on Fifth Avenue into Oakland and using the Fifth/Forbes Avenues corridor in and out of downtown Pittsburgh. There are several services that link East Pittsburgh with downtown Pittsburgh, although the portion of Route 61A s alignment between East Pittsburgh and North Braddock is unique. Other segments of the route, such as along Forbes Avenue, are in the most transit rich corridor of Port Authority s service area. Other radial services that connect East Pittsburgh with Downtown include: Route 63A North Braddock Express operates along a similar alignment between Swissvale and Wilkinsburg but then uses the East Busway to Downtown. Route 67E Greensburg Pike travels via East Pittsburgh through Swissvale and Wilkinsburg into downtown Pittsburgh. Route 67J travels from McKeesport through White Oak, North Versailles, East Pittsburgh and Forest Hills en route to Oakland and Downtown. Route 67F Trafford travels via Forest Hills to Wilkinsburg, Oakland and Downtown Route 68F Trafford Express also travels via Forest Hills to Wilkinsburg but uses the East Busway into Downtown Route G Greensburg Pike Flyer provides a similar services as Route 67E but travels into Downtown via East Busway. Alignment/Service Patterns Route 61A operates with a single inbound service pattern and two outbound service patterns. The only difference between the two outbound variants is that the first weekday outbound trip begins service at the intersection of Forbes Avenue and Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill. Schedule Route 61A provides service seven days a week. There are 37 inbound and outbound trips on weekdays, plus 29 trips in each direction on Saturday and 18 on Sundays (see Table 1). A few Saturday trips were eliminated in June 2007. Table 1: Route 61A Schedule Statistics One-Way Trips Headways Span of Service Inbound Outbound (minutes) Weekdays Early AM 4:51 AM 5:59 AM 5 2 15-30 AM Peak 6:00 AM 8:59 AM 6 7 20-30 Mid-day 9:00 AM 3:29 PM 13 13 20-30 PM Peak 3:30 PM 5:59 PM 5 5 30 Evening 6:00 PM 1:41 AM 8 10 30-45 Total 37 37 Saturday 4:52 AM 2:14 AM 29 29 30-60 Sunday 5:22 AM 12:49 AM 18 18 45-90 Page 2

Ridership Average daily ridership on Route 61A is 4,366. This represents a small upward trend since 2004 (3,948) and 2006 (4,250). Ridership is well balanced inbound and outbound and is evenly distributed throughout the day. With the exception of the early morning services, ridership is high throughout the day and most trips carry 47 to 87 passengers. Table 2: Route 61A: Ridership by Time Period and Per Trip Weekday Ridership Ridership/ Trip Inbound Early AM 139 27.8 AM Peak 447 79.5 Base 980 75.4 PM Peak 279 55.8 Evening 377 47.1 All Day 2,222 Outbound Early AM 40 20.0 AM Peak 326 46.6 Base 796 61.2 PM Peak 437 87.4 Evening 545 54.5 All Day 2,144 Both Directions 4,366 Ridership on the route overall is robust, and most parts of the route are well utilized. The largest market for passengers boarding and alighting is along Forbes Avenue, where 929 passengers (42% of total) board and 888 (45% of total) alight. Within this fairly long segment of the route, there are several large stops: Forbes and Braddock Avenues (192 boarding/66 alighting). Forbes Avenue and Celeron Street (135 boarding/66 alighting). Forbes Avenue opposite the Hamburg Building at Carnegie Mellon University (130 boarding, 170 alighting). Carnegie Mellon University (60 boarding, 108 alighting). The outer ends of Route 61A are also well used: 309 passengers (14% of total) board between East Pittsburgh (route origin) and the intersection of Bell and Jones Avenues. 365 passengers (16% of total) board Route 61A along the segment of the route between Jones Avenue and Wilkinsburg. 352 passengers (16% of total) board in Wilkinsburg, including all stops between downtown Wilkinsburg and Forbes Avenue. Page 3

In terms of alightings, the largest destinations are along Forbes Avenue (as mentioned) and along Fifth Avenue (605 passengers, 30% of total). Page 4

Figure 2: Route 61A Ridership by Stop: All Day Inbound 250 Total Ons 200 Total Offs Load Out From Stop 150 100 50 0 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 DYNAMO WAY @ BEECH LINDEN AVE @ SR CITIZEN APTS BESSEMER AVE @ GRANDVIEW WESTERN AVE @ CENTER BELL AVE @ #1549 BELL AVE @ 13TH BELL AVE @ OPP ANN BELL AVE @ JONES MIDDLE ST @ HAWKINS HAWKINS AVE @ #509 HAWKINS AVE @ OPP OVERLAND WOODSTOCK AVE @ WILKINS WOODSTOCK AVE @ WOODSTOCK WOODSTOCK AVE @ SHORT WOODSTOCK AVE @ MELROSE WOODSTOCK AVE @ ARDMORE NOBLE AVE @ OPP WASHINGTON EDGEWOOD AVE @ OPP SWISSVALE EDGEWOOD AVE @ DELAWARE EDGEWOOD AVE @ LLOYD EDGEWOOD AVE @ EDGEWOOD CT EDGEWOOD AVE @ MAPLE SWISSVALE @ COAL-NO STOP JANE ST. LOOP COAL ST @ OPP WOODWORTH COAL ST @ FRANKLIN FRANKLIN AVE @ CENTER FRANKLIN AVE @ WOOD ROWLAND CONNECTOR @ PENNWOOD- KELLY ST @ HAY KELLY ST @ WEST KELLY ST @ PEEBLES FORBES AVE @ CELERON FORBES AVE @ BRADDOCK FS FORBES AVE @ BEECHWOOD FORBES AVE @ SHADY-NO STOP FORBES AVE @ WIGHTMAN FORBES AVE @ NORTHUMBERLAND FORBES AVE @ OPP MARGARET FORBES AVE @ DEVON CARNEGIE MELLON UNIV. FORBES AVE @ CRAIG 5TH AVE @ TENNYSON 5TH AVE @ THACKERAY 5TH AVE. @ HALKET- NO STOP 5TH AVE @ OPP CRAFT 5TH AVE @ OPP LAMAR MEDIA (#2610) 5TH AVE @ OPP FALEDER MONUMENTS 5TH AVE @ KIRKPATRICK FS 5TH AVE @ OPP SENECA 5TH AVE @ OPP GIST 5TH AVE @ OPP VAN BRAAM FS 5TH AVE @ STEVENSON 5TH AVE @ WASHINGTON FORBES AVE @ GRANT FORBES AVE @ WOOD FORBES AVE @ STANWIX Passengers Load Out From Stop Page 5

One of the most underutilized portions of the route is between Oakland and Downtown. Most inbound passengers alight in or before Oakland, and only 227 ride through to Downtown (and many of these passengers board in Oakland). Ridership is fairly well balanced between inbound and outbound service. Inbound trips are more heavily used during in the morning and outbound trips are more heavily used during the afternoon peak and evening periods reflecting the fact that slightly more service is provided during these periods. Maximum loads are slightly greater in the morning peak periods than in the evening (see Figure 3). Also, many trips carry very heavy loads. Peak period service operates with irregular headways, and more regular service could help to better balance loads. 90 Figure 3: Route 61A Maximum Loads by Time of Day (All Sampled Trips) 80 Inbound Outbound 70 60 Load Out From Stop 50 40 30 20 10 0 0:00 0:43 5:11 5:33 5:52 6:25 7:02 7:30 7:59 8:33 9:03 9:35 10:06 10:19 11:01 11:29 12:05 12:31 12:47 13:33 14:10 14:45 15:22 16:15 17:26 18:16 18:46 19:47 Productivity Route 61A is performs very well (see Table 3): Operating and Subsidy Costs: Route 61A s operating cost per passenger is well below average at $2.27. Ridership per Unit of Service: On average, Route 61A carries 51 passengers per revenue vehicle hour. The number of passengers per total vehicle hour is also high at 41.8. Both Page 6

Table 3: Route 61A Weekday Productivity Radial Route 61A Average Operating Cost/Passenger $2.27 $2.81 Passengers/Revenue Vehicle Hour 50.7 42.9 Passengers/Total Vehicle Hour 41.8 33.3 Passengers/Revenue Mile 3.1 3.1 Total Vehicle Hours/Rev Vehicle Hours 1.21 1.29 Average Speed 16.5 14.0 Bus Stops/Mile 6.3 5.9 Directness 0.61 0.65 Number of Variations 3 7.5 are much higher than average for radial routes. The number of passengers per revenue mile is 3.1, which is consistent with the average for radial services.. Total Vehicle Hours Versus Revenue Vehicle Hours: The ratio of total vehicle hours to revenue vehicle hours, at 1.21, is slightly better than average for radial services. Most of the unproductive vehicle time is associated with vehicle pull-ins and pull-outs. Average Speed: The average speed is fairly high at 16.5 mph, especially considering the service travels through a heavily urbanized corridor. Bus Stops/Mile: Route 61A has an average of 6.3 stops per mile along the entire service, which is slightly higher than average for other radial services. Number of Variations: All Route 61A service except for the first weekday outbound trip operates with a single inbound and outbound pattern which this makes service very straightforward. Service Design The design of Route 61A is generally straightforward and easy to understand, and performs very well. However, there are a number of unusual aspects to its service. First, although it parallels the East Busway between Swissvale and Wilkinsburg, and crosses it, it does not provide connections. Generally, to facilitate regional travel, there should be connections between major routes. Second, although it is a major radial trunk route, it does not take advantage of the East Busway, which, between Swissvale and Wilkinsburg, would be its fastest routing. Such a routing would also allow Route 61A to be used as a feeder route from East Pittsburgh and North Braddock to the Busway, and facilitate regional connections. And third, while it operates through Oakland to Downtown, which is one of the region s major travel corridors, ridership along that leg is relatively light. Page 7

Service Improvement Opportunities Overall, Route 61A performs very well. The service attracts high ridership along most of its length, and especially between Squirrel Hill and Oakland, which underscores the high demand for service in this corridor. Still, a number of changes could increase ridership, and reduce operating costs and improve productivity. Restructure Wilkinsburg-Oakland-Downtown Service. Three routes operate along Forbes Avenue between Oakland and Wilkinsburg (Routes 61A, 61B and 69A). A restructuring of Route 61A, 61B and 69A to provide simpler service, and possibly Rapid Bus or limited stop service, throughout the day, could be a better approach. Branding one of the services as a limited stop rapid alternative would help customers understand their travel options and differentiate between services. Truncate Route 61A in Oakland: Although Route 61A is designed as a radial service into downtown Pittsburgh, few passengers use it for this purpose. Given the heavy volume of service between Oakland and downtown Pittsburgh, truncating the service in Oakland could reduce operating costs on Route 61A and help to provide the resources for improvements on other Oakland Downtown services. Re-Route Via East Busway between Swissvale and Wilkinsburg: As described above, this alignment could improve travel times and provide connections with other regional services at Wilkinsburg Station. Convert to Rapid Bus Service: Route 61A serves a very high ridership corridor that connects important activity centers. The conversion of Route 61A to Rapid Bus service could develop a premium service spine between East Pittsburgh, Swissvale, Wilkinsburg, Squirrel Hill and Oakland. This could provide faster and more convenient service to existing Route 61A riders, and provide stronger connections, especially at Swissvale and Wilkinsburg. Coordinate Forbes Avenue Services: A number of routes operate along Forbes Avenue (Routes 61A, 61B, 61C, 61A and 67H) and these services are not coordinated. Overcrowding occurs on many of the routes, and in many cases this is due to irregular combined frequencies and the bunching of buses along the route. The coordination of these services could minimize the bunching, which would better balance loads. Consolidate/Coordinate with East Pittsburgh Services: Route 61A is well utilized at its outer end in East Pittsburgh. East Pittsburgh, however, is served by several other routes, many of which offer similar local radial or express services into downtown Pittsburgh. Consequently, East Pittsburgh is over-served and productivity of some of the other services is low. Several of the routes in the 67 and 68 corridors could potentially be more efficiently re-routed away from East Pittsburgh to straighten service, reduce travel time and improve route speed and reliability. Create an East Pittsburgh Transit Hub: Several services converge in East Pittsburgh, including radial service and cross-town services. East Pittsburgh could be developed as a transit hub. Page 8

Provide Connections to the East Busway at Swissvale and Roslyn Stations so that the route can be used as a feeder to East Busway services. Consolidate Route 69A with Route 61A: As described in the Route 69 route evaluation, Route 69A Forbes is essentially an outbound variant of Route 61A and Route 61B Braddock Swissvale service, but has a unique route number. Service could be simplified by operating Route 69A as part of Route 61A (or Route 61B). Page 9