Pittsburgh-to-Greensburg Maglev plans up for public review

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW ^ | Friday, June 11, 2010 | Matthew Santoni

[Willie Green]

Officials are opening for public review the plans for a magnetic-levitation train from Pittsburgh to Greensburg, marking another tiny step forward for the decade-long project.

The final environmental impact statement for the proposed $5.3 billion, 54-mile Pittsburgh Maglev project was posted for public review and comment Thursday at the Port Authority of Allegheny County's office and at www.portauthority.org. The authority is managing public funding for McKeesport-based Maglev Inc. but has no role in planning or building the train.

Maglev Inc. President Fred Gurney said he was waiting for federal officials' go-ahead before taking the environmental study to the public, and the project's backers pushed Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to move it forward when he visited the company's headquarters last month.

The study describes the general plans for the train, which would use powerful magnets to hover above an elevated track connecting Pittsburgh International Airport, Downtown, Monroeville and Greensburg.

[Willie Green]

Click here to view the Pennsylvania High-Speed Maglev Project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). (PDF file)

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Willie...you starting a ping list, perchance on MagLev??? Because on Plate 7...my house is a yellow dot!?!

[cripplecreek]

As soon as they started talking about the magic choo choo, I knew the marxists would have to sieze property.

[dangus]

$100 MILLION DOLLARS PER MILE!

In a city which has a shrinking transportation need.

[kosciusko51]

Like we need rail from Pittsburgh to Greensburg. Another boondoggle in the making.

[cripplecreek]

Gonna shrink even more when they start forcing people out of their homes.

[Willie Green]

Willie...you starting a ping list, perchance on MagLev???

No... I tried doing ping lists several years ago,
and discovered that maintaining them properly wasn't one of my many hidden talents.
(I think it has something to do with my cheap, dollar-store bifocals and all the flaming arrows that keep hitting me in the rump.)

Because on Plate 7...my house is a yellow dot!?!

I think that must mean that yinz live along the Yellow Belt anat.

When I grew up in the Burgh, we lived along the Green Belt,
so Dad used our other last name so the mailman wouldn't get confused anat.

The Pittsburgh/Allegheny County Belt Route System was invented back sometime in WWII or the Cold War anat so everybody could evacuate the Burgh real fast in case Hitler or the commies tried to nuke the mills an the Nike bases anat.

If yinz learn all the Belt Road kellers, then yinz can drive around the Burgh without having to follow the Kennywood signs or knowing where all the old landmarks used to be.

[martin_fierro]

	It's a 'Burgh >> PING << Thing.™
Send FReepmail if yunz want on/off BPT list, 'n'at
Learn Pittsburghese! Free Streaming 'Burgh Radio
The List of Ping Lists

[Glenn]

Greensburg?

The Airport corridor should get it first.

[Willie Green]

Greensburg?
The Airport corridor should get it first.

Well yeah... that's what the article says:

The study describes the general plans for the train, which would use powerful magnets to hover above an elevated track connecting Pittsburgh International Airport, Downtown, Monroeville and Greensburg.

See?
Airport first,
then downtown,
then Monroeville
and Greensburg last.

Of course Greensurg would be first if you're riding the other direction,
but when they first build it, I think they'll probably do Airport to downtown first.
The other parts will probably take a little bit longer to finish.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

LOL...on the Dollar Store glasses. I get my reading glasses there (in colors to coordinate w/my outfits...I wonder if $Store Vision will be covered under Barky care).

But about Maglev...in Section C, where Plates 7 and 8 overlap, n’at, is my yellow dotted neighborhood. I can walk over a hill and be on the Turnpike in less than five minutes....so I went looking for a listing of streets/addresses affected (non, but I do know the Maglev folks are reallly worried about fish, wildlife, birds). So I might have to pay a visit to my Township building to the map.
If any of yinz come across specs of “affected residential properties” ping me n’at...ill be packing.

[Eska]

Many years back in late 60’s, they had a big plan on building new highway near this old amusement park between Versailes & Northuntingdon. They forced people out of their homes and then never built highway.

[Willie Green]

But about Maglev...in Section C, where Plates 7 and 8 overlap, n’at, is my yellow dotted neighborhood.

I remember you telling me several months ago (longer than that?) that you were concerned about Maglev passing near your home.
I'm afraid I can't see the Plates that you are referring to.
My computer will load the PDF cover page, but when I click further on the links I get an error message.
I think maybe their PDF report might be incompatible with the linux I use on my computer. So I'm happy that you apparently are able to view the full report using Windows. I was a bit concerned about that when I first posted this thread, but thought I would post the link anyway, just in case they fixed the problem I was having on their end.

[ICAB9USA]

Yinz gotta get up here soon ...... before Obama puts EVERYTING in the tank.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Hi again Willie...yes, this Maglev thing has been an ongoing story. Your link to the Port Authority, and their PDF file link, worked fine for me. So fine that I was able to find our humble abode with no problem.

In the past (and I am guessing it started about ten years or so ago) we were affected (outlined on a map); then we werent (but Penn Twp was); and...now...well...according to the ‘Plates’ on the pdf, we are in ‘yellow dot house’ on a street of yellow dots (affected residential property). I clicked thru about 30 pages but could not find the definition of ‘affected residential property’ that corresponded to their map legend. So who knows...

I will check out at our Municipal Bldg the ‘new’ maps they are supposed to have available. Will report back next week.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Yep...I think that was a part of the Mon Valley Expressway that never came thru our part of Westmoreland County. I can’t remember the name of the park...Rainbow?

[Willie Green]

I will check out at our Municipal Bldg the ‘new’ maps they are supposed to have available. Will report back next week.

OK... but don't forget, the rest of the article at the Trib/Review says that the Public review period ends July 16
So it's probably more important for you to voice your concerns to your local officials or the Maglev people or whoever first before you get back to us.
Nobody knows how this will all turn out in the long run, but I'm glad that you're actively involved in letting 'em know what you think.

[PA Engineer]

I cannot open it with either Firefox and adobe, nor Safari and preview. As was able to paste the index link after source view for the plates. From there the same problem occurred. PennDot? The gift that keeps on giving (our tax dollars away). This is a good example of the problems with PennDot.

[Eska]

Rainbow Gardens, The Wild Mouse. We don’t have anything like that along the Yukon, ha.