ROUTE AV ALLEGHENY VALLEY FLYER

ROUTE AV ALLEGHENY VALLEY FLYER Route AV Allegheny Valley Flyer provides express service between Harrison and Natrona Heights and downtown Pittsburgh via Tarentum and the Tarentum Park and Ride Lot, Springdale, Cheswick, Aspinwall, East Liberty and the East Busway (see Figure 1), and is one of three express/flyer routes that serve the Allegheny Valley Corridor. Route AV service is focused on commute trips, and primarily operates along Freeport Road and Route 28/Allegheny Valley Expressway as far as the Highland Park Bridge, and then via Washington Boulevard and the East Busway. Figure 1: Route AV Allegheny Valley Flyer Similar Routes Route AV operates in an area with a large amount of overlapping service. Including Route AVN, four express routes and three local routes operate in the Route 28 Allegheny Valley Expressway corridor, six express routes operate along Washington Boulevard, and 33 routes operate in the East Busway. Three of the express routes (Route AV, Route AVN Allegheny Valley North Flyer, and Route 3M Tarentum Natrona Express) are all very similar. Each serves many of the same areas north of the Allegheny River, and each operates to and from downtown Pittsburgh via the Highland Park Bridge, Washington Boulevard, and the East Busway. One of the two local routes (Route 1A New Kensington) is essentially the local version of the three express routes. Overlapping services along Route 28/Allegheny Valley Expressway and Washington Boulevard are: Route 28/ Allegheny Valley Expressway Corridor Route 1A New Kensington provides local service between Heights Plaza in Natrona Heights and downtown Pittsburgh, largely along Freeport Road and East Ohio Street. Route 5A Natrona - Argonne Drive operates between Harrison Township and Page 1

Pittsburgh Mills along Freeport Road at several locations including north of Spring Hill Road, through Natrona Heights, and between 7 th Avenue and Crawford Run Road in Tarentum, as well as portions of Corbett Street and 4th Avenue. Route 3L Creighton Lower Burrell Express operates between Creighton and downtown Pittsburgh inbound via the same alignment, and via a partially different alignment outbound. Route 3M Tarentum-Natrona Express, operates between Heights Plaza in Natrona Heights and downtown Pittsburgh, largely along Route 28/Allegheny Valley Expressway. Route 93A Aspinwall Cheswick operates between the Springdale Volunteer Fire Department Park and Ride Lot and East Liberty. Route AVN Allegheny Valley Flyer North, operates between the Harrison Volunteer Fire Department in Harrison and downtown Pittsburgh along a very similar alignment as Route AV but bypasses New Kensington, Springdale, Cheswick, and Blawnox. Washington Boulevard Route AVN Allegheny Valley North Flyer Route D Middle Road Flyer Route 3L Creighton Lower Burrell Express Route 3M Tarentum Natrona Express Route 93A Aspinwall Cheswick Express Alignment/Service Patterns Even though Route AV provides only seven trips in each direction, it has a complicated route structure that consists of four inbound route patterns and six outbound patterns that are designed to provide express service to different Natrona Heights neighborhoods and other locations along the route. (All of the outbound variants also have alternate routings that are used when Norfolk Southern freight trains operate over the Conemaugh Line, block the roads in Tarentum used for the standard routings.) The specific variants are as follows: Inbound AV-IA, which provides one inbound trip, and AV-IH, which provides two trips (one AM and one PM), from Freeport Road at the Harrison Hills Volunteer Fire Department in Harrison Township to downtown Pittsburgh via Freeport Road through Tarentum to Pillow Avenue and Hite Road, and then to downtown Pittsburgh via Route 28, the Highland Park Bridge, Washington Boulevard and the East Busway. The difference between the two is that Variant AV-IA serves the Springdale Township Volunteer Fire Department Park and Ride, and Variant AV-IH serves RIDC Industrial Park. AV-ID, which provides three morning trips from the Tarentum Park and Ride Lot to downtown Pittsburgh via Route 28, the Highland Park Bridge, Washington Boulevard and the East Busway. AV-ID serves the Springdale Township Volunteer Fire Department Park and Ride. AV-II, which is a truncated PM version of AV-IH that provides one inbound PM trip from the RIDC Industrial Park to Penn Station in downtown Pittsburgh. Outbound Page 2

AV-O, which provides outbound weekday service from downtown Pittsburgh to 4th Avenue and Corbett Street in Tarentum. Variant AV-O follows Route 28 to Hite Road and Pillow Avenue, serving the Springdale Township Volunteer Fire Department Park and Ride before heading east along Freeport Road to the route terminus. AV-OA, which operates outbound from downtown Pittsburgh to Heights Plaza in Natrona Heights, serving the Springdale Township Volunteer Fire Department Park and Ride and to Tarentum, following River Avenue toward Natrona Heights. Only a single outbound trip is provided with the variant. (No inbound service operates via Heights Plaza, and inbound trips must be made on Routes 1A or 3M.) AV-OB and AV-OC, which operate from downtown Pittsburgh to the Harrison Hills Volunteer Fire Department in Harrison Township. Both variants follow Route 28 to RIDC Industrial Park and continue northeast from Hite Road and Pillow Avenue. However, Variant AV-OB, a morning run, bypasses the Springdale Township Volunteer Fire Department Park and Ride Lot. Both AV-OB and AV-OC provide service through Tarentum and then continue out Freeport Road to Natrona Heights. AV-OD, which provides a single outbound trip from downtown Pittsburgh to the Harrison Hills Volunteer Fire Department in Harrison Township. This variant serves the Springdale Township Volunteer Fire Department Park and Ride. AV-OH, which operates two outbound runs from downtown Pittsburgh to the Harrison Hills Volunteer Fire Department in Harrison Township. This variant exits Route 28 at RIDC Industrial Park, but does not turn into the Industrial Park, affording a quick pickup before continuing along Route 28 northeast, exiting at Hite Road and stopping at the Springdale Township Volunteer Fire Department Park and Ride Lot. Schedule Route AV service operates on weekdays, with seven inbound and outbound trips. Inbound, there are five AM trips and two PM trips. Outbound, there is one AM peak trip, two midafternoon trips, and four PM peak trips. Service frequencies are irregular throughout the day and service to some locations (for example, on variant AV-II) is available on only a single trip per day. Travel times range from 54 to 98 minutes, depending upon the variant. Table 1: Route AV Schedule Statistics One-Way Trips Headways Span of Service Inbound Outbound (minutes) Weekdays Early AM 5:35 am 5:59 am 1 N/A AM Peak 6:00 am 8:59 am 3 1 24-38 Midday 9:00 am 10:41 am 1 1 N/A 2:47 pm 3:29 pm PM Peak 3:30 pm 7:04 pm* 2 5 33-50 All Day 7 7 As described above, Route AV is very similar to Route AVN Allegheny Valley North Flyer, and the schedules for the two routes are presented on the same public timetable. (Route AVN provides two AM inbound trips and two PM outbound trips.) Page 3

Ridership Average daily ridership for Route AV is 413 passengers, down from 456 passengers in 2006. This is due, in part, to the elimination of midday service in June 2007. Of a total of 216 inbound passengers, 40, or 18%, board in Natrona Heights and Tarentum before the bus reaches the Tarentum Park and Ride. Most of these boardings occur along Freeport Road, on the 0.2-mile stretch between Spring Hill Road and Pennsylvania Avenue and at East 6 th Avenue and Dickey Street. Then, 15 passengers, or 7%, board at the Tarentum Park and Ride Lot. From there, a small number of passengers board in Tarentum, and boardings are modest along Freeport Road. Ridership increases through Springdale and Cheswick, where 43 passengers, or 20%, board along the 1.7-mile stretch of Pittsburgh Street between Butler Street and Hill Avenue. Another 65 passengers (30%) along the one-mile stretch of Pillow Avenue between Spruce Street and Hite Road. Most of these passengers (50, or 23%) board at the Park and Ride Lot at the Springdale Township Volunteer Fire Department, which is the most heavily used stop on the route. Only 11 riders (5%) board at RIDC Industrial Park. Of the 25 industrial park bus stops that are served by the short PM inbound variant (AV-II), boarding and alighting activity occurs at four stops. For the other variants that serve up to eight stops at RIDC Industrial Park, passenger boarding or alighting activity occurs at only three stops. Thirteen riders (6%) board along Washington Boulevard, the East Busway and Liberty Avenue. Only 13 passengers, or 6% of the total, alight before the bus reaches the East Busway, and another 19 (9%) alight along the East Busway before the bus reaches Penn Station. The large majority of riders alight along Liberty Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh (see Figure 2). Although the variants provide different services to some different locations on outbound trips, most of the outbound ridership mirrors inbound ridership. Ridership on Route AV, based on APC data and sample manual counts, averages 216 passengers inbound and 196 outbound per day. Although inbound and outbound alignments are basically similar, the lack of AM outbound service to RIDC Industrial Park on Route AV likely only has a minor impact on the imbalance. Figure 3 illustrates maximum loads on Route AV over the course of the day for a large number of sampled trips. The data shows consistent maximum loads of 30 to 40 riders (and more on some trips) for early AM and AM peak inbound services. Two sampled PM peak outbound trips have maximum passenger loads that exceed 50 riders, but early afternoon and late PM peak trips typically have maximum loads that are much lower, at 20 passengers or less. Page 4

Figure 2: Route AV Ridership by Stop: All Day Inbound 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 240 180 120 60 0 FREEPORT RD @ HARRISON HILLS VFD-NO STOP FREEPORT RD @ OPP OAK MANOR (YMCA ENT) FREEPORT RD @ EVERGREEN FREEPORT RD @ BONNIEVIEW FS FREEPORT RD @ SAXONBURG FREEPORT RD @ LENGEL FREEPORT RD @ DAVIS FREEPORT RD @ OPP AUTO PARTS STORE FREEPORT RD @ BURTNER FREEPORT RD @ BEACON FREEPORT RD @ LILAC FREEPORT RD @ POPLAR FREEPORT RD @ SPRING HILL FREEPORT RD @ HARVARD FREEPORT RD @ PENNSYLVANIA FREEPORT @ HEIGHTS PLAZA-TIMEPOINT FREEPORT RD @ PRINCETON FREEPORT RD @ DALLAS FREEPORT RD @ FAIRMONT FREEPORT RD @ MONTANA FREEPORT RD @ IDAHO FREEPORT RD @ OREGON FREEPORT RD @ CALIFORNIA FREEPORT RD @ ALABAMA FREEPORT RD @ MILE LOCK PENN ST @ BROADVIEW FS PENN ST @ UNION PENN ST @ ATLANTIC PENN ST @ ROUP 9TH ST @ PENN FS 9TH ST @ MORGAN 9TH ST @ PROSPECT 9TH ST @ GRANT 9TH ST @ HORNER 9TH ST @ ORMOND 9TH ST @ CORBET CORBET ST @ 8TH CORBET ST @ 6TH E 6TH AVE @ DICKEY E 6TH AVE @ LOCK ROSS ST @ TARENTUM PARK-N-RIDE CORBET ST @4TH E 6TH AVE @ DICKEY 7TH AVE @ EAST 7TH AVE @ CENTER 7TH AVE @ WESTERN 7TH AVE @ GRANTHAM FREEPORT RD @ CRYSTAL VIEW FREEPORT RD @ OPP WORKS ENT #3 FREEPORT RD @ FERRY FREEPORT RD @ BARTSCH FREEPORT RD @ ROWE'S CROSSING FREEPORT RD @ CRAWFORD RUN FREEPORT RD @ MURRAY HILL FREEPORT RD @ #763 FREEPORT RD @ #727 FREEPORT RD @ 3RD FREEPORT RD @ 2ND FREEPORT RD @ 1ST FREEPORT RD @ #277 FREEPORT RD @ #241 FREEPORT RD @ #187 FREEPORT RD @ #153 FRPRT RD @ 9TH ST BRDG-NO STOP FREEPORT RD @ ORRIS GAS STATION FREEPORT RD @ RIDDLE RUN PITTSBURGH ST @ BUTLER FS PITTSBURGH ST @ ORCHARD PITTSBURGH ST @ MOYHEND PITTSBURGH ST @ SCHOOL FS PITTSBURGH ST @ JAMES FS PITTSBURGH ST @ NORTH PITTSBURGH ST @ MURTLAND PITTSBURGH ST @ COLFAX PITTSBURGH ST @ ROSA FS PITTSBURGH ST @ PORTER PITTSBURGH ST @ WASHINGTON FS PITTSBURGH ST @ DUQUESNE CT PITTSBURGH ST @ DUQUESNE PITTSBURGH ST @ MURRAYHILL FS PITTSBURGH ST @ ALLEGHENY PITTSBURGH ST @ HIGHLAND FS PITTSBURGH ST @ HILL PILLOW AVE @ SPRUCE PILLOW AVE @ LINDEN PILLOW AVE @ FAIRMONT PILLOW AVE @ PARKWAY PILLOW AVE @ PARK-N-RIDE PILLOW AVE @ MCKINLEY PILLOW AVE @ MAPLE PILLOW AVE @ OPP CENTER PILLOW AVE @ LOW GRADE HITE RD @ PILLOW FS RAMP TO 28 SOUTH @ HITE FS RIDC PARK RAMP-SOUTH @ GAMMA GAMMA DR @ ZETA GAMMA DR @ OPP #1000 GAMMA DR @ #122 (MAGNETEK) GAMMA DR @ ALPHA ALPHA DR @ EXPRESSWAY OVERPASS FS ALPHA DR @ #635 (INDUSTRIAL TESTING LABS) ALPHA DR @ ECKERD BETA DR @ #120 (GRAINGER) BETA DR @ #200 (EMERSON PROCESS MNGMT) WASHINGTON BLVD @ ALLEGHENY RIVER BLVD WASHINGTON BLVD @ OPP HIGHLAND WASHINGTON BLVD @ NEGLEY RUN WASHINGTON BLVD @ LIBERTY WELDING WASHINGTON BLVD @ CYPHERS COMPANY WASHINGTON BLVD @ #965 WASHINGTON BLVD @ SHETLAND WASHINGTON BLVD @ FRANKSTOWN 5TH AVE @ HAMILTON EAST LIBERTY DIV DRVWY @ 5TH FS EAST LIBERTY DIV DRVWY @ EMPLOYEE PARKING LOT EAST BUSWAY @ EAST LIBERTY STATION D EAST BUSWAY @ NEGLEY STATION C EAST BUSWAY @ HERRON STATION D EAST BUSWAY @ PENN STATION C LIBERTY AVE @ 10TH FS LIBERTY AVE @ OPP SMITHFIELD LIBERTY AVE @ 8TH (TITO) LIBERTY AVE @ 5TH LIBERTY AVE @ HILTON LIBERTY AVE @ GATEWAY #4 Passengers Load Out from Stop On Off Load Out From Stop Note: Excludes stops with no passenger boardings/alightings at RIDC Industrial Park (variant AV-II). Page 5

60 Figure 3: Route AV Maximum Loads by Time of Day (All Sampled Trips) 50 Inbound Outbound 40 Maximum Load 30 20 10 0 5:06 5:33 5:33 6:24 7:21 9:22 14:48 14:48 14:50 15:39 16:10 16:18 16:22 16:23 16:24 16:27 16:29 16:40 16:41 16:41 16:44 17:40 17:41 17:44 Productivity Of the five primary routes that serve the Allegheny Valley Expressway/Freeport Road corridor (1A, 3M, 93A, AV and AVN), Route AV carries the fewest passengers per revenue hour and has the second highest operating cost per passenger. The route does carries the highest number of riders of the express/flyer routes in the corridor, but only one-third of the passengers served by Route 1A. Productivity measures are presented in Table 2 and discussed below. Table 2: Route AV Weekday Productivity Express/ Flyer Route AV Average Operating Cost/Passenger $8.47 $5.07 Passengers/Revenue Vehicle Hour 20.7 34.2 Passengers/Total Vehicle Hour 14.2 22.6 Passengers/Revenue Mile 0.9 1.7 Total Vehicle Hours/Rev Vehicle Hours 1.46 1.51 Average Speed 22.4 20.2 Bus Stops/Mile 2.6 3.3 Directness 0.79 0.74 Number of Variations 10 4.7 Page 6

Operating Cost/Passenger: The operating cost per passenger for Route AV is $8.47, $3.40 higher than the average operating cost per passenger for express/flyer routes. This cost is $2.00 less than Route 3M, but twice the cost per passenger for Route 1A, the all-day radial route that parallels Route AV for much of its outer alignment. Ridership per Unit of Service: The route carries 20.7 passengers per revenue vehicle hour, 40% fewer than the average express/flyer route. Passengers per total vehicle hour is 14.2, much below average, and reflects the additional hours required to operate the route. As the third-longest route in the entire Port Authority system, with a one-way route length of more than 30 miles, passengers per revenue mile is very low at 0.9. Total Vehicle Hours Versus Revenue Vehicle Hours: The ratio of total vehicle hours to revenue vehicle hours, at 1.46, is high, but slightly better than average. This is a function of the deadheading required to serve this route, but is balanced by the route s proximity to the Harmar Garage. Average Speed: The average speed is better than average at 22 mph. This is because there are few stops along much of Freeport Road and the Allegheny Valley Expressway, and the East Busway. Bus Stops/Mile: Route AV has 78 bus stops along its alignment, for an average of 2.6 stops per mile or a stop every 2,030 feet. Directness: Route AV is as direct as most express and flyer routes. Travel via Washington Boulevard and the East Busway reduces the directness of the route. Number of Variations: Route AV has 10 variations which make the route very complex, and more complex than most express and flyer services. Service Design Due to the large number of variants that provide significantly different operations from run to run, Route AV is one of the most complex express/flyer routes. Even with a schedule card, the route and the schedule cannot be easily understood, which almost certainly deters many potential riders from using the route. Service frequencies are also very irregular and many locations are served only once or twice each day. In addition, operation of the route via the East Busway reduces the directness of the route and increases travel times 1 but serves relatively few riders. Route AV needs to be simplified to provide service that is consistent and easily understandable. 1 Based on a comparison of express route times via the East Busway and Route 1A New Kensington times via East Ohio Street (and local circulation on the North Side). Page 7

Service Improvement Opportunities As described above, the most important improvements that need to be made to Route AV are to simplify the route. Potential changes to accomplish this, as well as other changes to reduce cost and improve productivity are as follows: Consolidate Routes AV, AVN and 3M: As with Route AV, Routes AVN and 3M also need to be simplified. One way to do this would be to consolidate the three routes into a single route that provides a high level of service along a single alignment. Minimize Variations: Route AV has too many variations, which makes it very difficult to understand. Ideally, the route should operate along a single alignment for both inbound and outbound trips. Operate Service Directly to Downtown via Route 28/East Ohio Street: As described above, relatively few riders board or alight Route AV service along Washington Boulevard, in East Liberty, or along the East Busway. Service could be made more direct and faster, by operating service directly to Downtown via Route 28/East Ohio Street. Adjust Service Levels and Schedule to Better Match Demand: Peak-only directional operation of Route AV would maximize the service provided during the highest ridership periods, in the direction most people are traveling. This would allow the route to operate more efficiently, eliminating PM inbound trips and outbound early afternoon trips, which have lower ridership. Shorten Route: Service to Natrona Heights could be eliminated and provided by Route 5A, which would allow Route AV to begin and end operation at the Tarentum Park and Ride. (This would necessitate operation of Route 5A earlier in the day, but which may be appropriate.) Operate Service West of the Tarentum Park and Ride as Route 5A: Service beyond the Tarentum Park and Ride Lot could be operated as a short version of Route 5A. Peak period services could potentially be through-routed so passengers can remain on the bus and transfers would be unnecessary. This would make the service through Natrona Heights and Tarentum easier to understand. Eliminate Service through RIDC Industrial Park: Ridership to RIDC Park is low, and access from the ramp stops along Route 28 may be sufficient to serve the passengers who travel to and from RIDC Industrial Park (as is done with Route AVN). Operate Service with Regular Headways: Headways are very irregular, and operation with more regular headways could make service much more convenient and attractive. Eliminate Bus Stops: Most of the bus stops along this route have low passenger boarding or alighting activity. Consolidation of stops, and the conversion of Route AV (and other long distance express routes) to limited stop express routes would improve speeds and simplify the route. Page 8