Hill District residents raise concerns over proposed changes to PRT bus routes
PITTSBURGH —
Hill District residents, including seniors at K. Leroy Irvis Towers, are raising concerns about proposed changes to Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus routes that could affect their access to transportation for doctor appointments and daily activities.
Larita Taylor, who moved to the Hill District for its convenient transportation options, said the 81 Oak Hill bus picks her up outside her senior high-rise, while the 83 Bedford Hill bus stop is just across the street, providing access to downtown and the South Side.
“It’s like PRT does not have the seniors in consideration for getting around in the city and that sort of thing,” Taylor said. “I thought that way when I lived in Westmoreland County. Now I’m feeling that way back in Allegheny County.”
Taylor said she decided to speak out after learning her bus routes were included in PRT’s proposed changes. She and other residents are meeting with PRT representatives to stress how much they rely on the current service.
“I’m just thinking, ‘What the hell?’ Well, I was thinking something else, but what the hell?” said C. Denise Johnson, another Hill District resident.
Johnson said she worries the changes could create hardships for her and her elderly neighbors.
PRT’s proposed changes include adjustments to the 81 and 83 bus routes. The 81, which currently runs from downtown to the South Side via Oakland, would instead go from UPMC Mercy Hospital to Lawrenceville via Oakland, eliminating downtown access. The 83 would continue to operate from downtown to the South Side via Oakland, but it would follow a slightly different path. PRT said the 83 would run more frequently between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
“I walk with a cane,” Taylor said. “I can’t walk very far.”
Taylor, who moved to the Hill District specifically for the bus stops and routes, said she hopes PRT considers the needs of her and her neighbors before finalizing any changes.
PRT has made the proposed changes available online for public review and is accepting comments through Sept. 30.