Getting delayed at an airport may be the least of life’s pleasures, but if you’re in Pittsburgh, you can’t do much better waiting for a flight than at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT).
Need wireless access while your flight arrives? Then you’ll be interested to know that PIT is the only airport in the country that offers this service free, and was one of the first to offer it. Other airports now offer this free service, but most still charge for it. And to help you relax, AIRMALL at PIT has 90 restaurants
and shops. 
No wonder PIT gets rave reviews from authoritative sources. In the 2006 and 2007 Conde Nast Business Travel Poll of 50,000 readers, Pittsburgh International Airport made it to the Top 10 U.S. Airports list, and the AIRMALL received high marks in the “Food/Shops/Amenities” and “Design” Categories. The world-renowned AIRMALL also received top honors from Airport Revenue News (ARN). ARN selected AIRMALL for its comprehensive scope of management expertise in airport retail and food and beverage. The wide variety of branded merchandise offered at guaranteed street pricing continues to ensure quality and competitive pricing for air travelers.
More Flyers Flying
More than 10-million travelers take nearly 210,000 flights each year from Pittsburgh International Airport, a favorite among critics and travelers, and a source of pride for all Greater Pittsburghers. According to the March 2008 Scheduled Airline Traffic Report of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, 10 of the 13 airlines at Pittsburgh International Airport (www.FlyPittsburgh.com) showed an increase in passenger traffic. Eight of these airlines reported increases of more than 13 percent. Atlanta-based AirTran Airways and Southwest Airlines led the gainers. Southwest Airlines led all carriers in terms of total increase in number of passengers. In 2007, AirTran launched new, non-stop flights to Ft. Myers, Ft. Lauderdale and Tampa. Southwest added service to Baltimore and increased some of its flights to Florida.
“AirTran was the first of the current, low-cost carriers at Pittsburgh International Airport, and Southwest’s presence has helped stimulate competition and regional travel,” said Bradley D. Penrod, Allegheny County Airport Authority Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer. “Offering more airline choices and lower, competitive fares have helped us achieve continued success. The increases in flights are evidence that the public is responding to the changes.”
American Airlines has continued to grow and enhance its New York service from Pittsburgh, and in December 2007, American Eagle boosted service between Pittsburgh and New York City, when the airline began flights between Pittsburgh International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). American Eagle also serves the Pittsburgh-to- New York route at LaGuardia (LGA) with two flights a day. And as of Spring 2008, this flight makes it easier for passengers from Pittsburgh to connect to international destinations such as London, Frankfurt, Paris, Barcelona or Milan.
Also in December 2007, USA 3000 Airlines continued to expand its routes from Pittsburgh by adding new, nonstop service to Fort Lauderdale and Montego Bay, Jamaica. “Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas have been a great market for USA 3000 over the past four years. Adding new service to Ft. Lauderdale and Jamaica with competitively priced nonstop flights, and convenient schedules just made sense,” said Angus Kinnear, Chief Operating Officer of USA 3000 Airlines.
Lower Airline Fares
According to a study commissioned by the Allegheny County Airport Authority and conducted by Wilbur Smith Associates (WSA), low-cost carriers (LCC’s) — AirTran, JetBlue, Southwest, and USA 300provided important benefits for the Greater Pittsburgh Region in 2007. Their combined service had a total economic impact of $180 million on the region, fares dropped by 27 percent, and about 360,000 more passengers per year flew at Pittsburgh International Airport.
In fact, Pittsburgh International Airport was number one in dropping fares among US airports during the first quarter of 2007 compared to 2006, according to the US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Back in 2000, the average one-way fare to all destinations from PIT was nearly $192, one of the highest in the nation, but the expansion of low-fare service here dramatically lowered this figure. The average one-way fare decreased by 27 percent to $140 from 2000 to 2006, and fares to Pittsburgh’s Top 15 destinations dropped 32 percent to $120.
“We have been saying the discount fares of low-cost carriers provide true economic benefits to the region. In quantifying these results, we learned that they have saved local businesses $110 million in travel costs, saved leisure travelers $64.5 million, and increased visitors by 111,000 in 2006,” said Dan Onorato, Allegheny County Chief Executive.
Reducing the cost of flying out of Pittsburgh International Airport has been one of the primary goals of the Regional Air Service Partnership, a joint effort of Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, the Allegheny County Airport Authority, and the Allegheny Conference on Community Development.
“Lower airfares make our region competitive for retaining and locating businesses. More low-cost carriers at Pittsburgh International Airport mean more travel options that save money. This helps businesses and the local economy,” said Barbara McNees, president of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, an affiliate of the Allegheny Conference.
People who need help getting around the airport can take advantage of Pittsburgh International Airport’s Ambassador Escort Program. This program serves first-time flyers, international visitors who need assistance in navigating the airport, or adult children of elderly parents unable to escort their parents through the airport by themselves. If you think this applies to your situation, call the PIT Ambassador hotline at 412-472-5690 and leave a message a few days before the escort is needed. Please note that wheelchair escorts for passengers should be scheduled through the airline.
Ambassadors are volunteers who donate their time to provide courteous and friendly assistance and offer a warm welcome to visitors. The Ambassador Program began in August 2001, and today, 21 of the 74 Ambassadors are “original” Ambassadors, who started on the first day the program was launched. Ambassadors have assisted passengers on some of the busiest days at the airport and enhance the total airport experience.
Pittsburgh International Airport helps to make flying more economical. Its award-winning Discount Fares Newsletter, with more than 35,000 subscribers, targets the best fares from the airport and offers tips on getting the best travel deals. To receive the newsletter, just visit www.FlyPittsburgh.com and sign up.
You’ll also be pleased to know that parking at PIT is close and convenient. The airport is expanding its parking lot to accommodate more passengers. Parking in the Short Term Parking Lot costs only $1 for the first hour, a benefit for people picking up or dropping off friends and family members. GO FAST passes make airport parking even easier. GO FAST passes use a small electronic tag installed inside the windshield of a customer’s car. Once you register at Grant-Oliver with your credit card information, you can enter any airport parking lot through the GO FAST pass lane without having to take a ticket. An overhead antenna reads the electronic tag on your GO FAST pass and automatically charges your credit card with the appropriate fee. You receive a receipt of the transaction by e-mail within half an hour. And with several GO FAST exit lanes available, there’s no waiting in line.
Pittsburgh’s Rules of the Road: What They Don’t Teach in Driver’s Ed
If you’re new to Pittsburgh or just visiting, here are some tips that can help to make your travel more enjoyable, or at least, less aggravating.
Prepare yourself for “The Pittsburgh Left.” But don’t worry. This has nothing to do with a left hook. It works this way. Let’s say you’re stopped at an intersection waiting for the light to change from red to green. At the same time, there’s a car directly opposite you at the light, waiting to turn left across traffic in front of you. In Pittsburgh, when the light turns green, it’s polite to let the opposing driver make the turn across your lane. That’s to keep traffic flowing. Greater Pittsburgh, especially within the city limits, has many, narrow, two-lane roads. Allowing left-hand turns like this at a light change keeps traffic moving behind
left-turning drivers. This may sound goofy, but you’ll like it when you’re the one who needs to make that left turn.
Next, watch for stop signs at the end of interstate on-ramps. The signs are few in number, but don’t be surprised if you find one waiting for you just before you need to merge into oncoming traffic. Fortunately, courtesy rules the road here in the ‘Burgh, and most drivers will allow you to squeeze in.
And when driving in pedestrian-filled areas, like Downtown or the Strip District, stay alert for the occasional person wandering into traffic. Pedestrians can be difficult to spot before they walk in front of your car, and they don’t always cross where or when they should. Another pedestrian habit is walking in crosswalks when a stop light turns green instead of crossing when a light is red. Yes, that’s right. Perfectly sane-looking people wait patiently on the sidewalk at a red light, and when the light turns green, they walk across the street with the green light. No one knows why this happens, but it’s important that no one gets hurt. And just to show you how friendly Greater Pittsburghers are, few drivers honk their horns at people venturing in this untimely way across traffic. Most just seem as nonchalant, as if they were watching ducks cross a road in a park.
When driving around Allegheny County, you’re likely to find yourself on one of our famous, colored belt roads. Don’t bother asking Pittsburghers how these belt roads work. Most don’t know. Six road routes make up the belt system, developed late in the 1940’s to provide alternative routes for drivers eager to avoid downtown congestion. Instead of building new roads, county officials put up signs on existing roads, and the belt system was born.
The belt routes are ordered in colors of the rainbow. The outside belt – the farthest from Downtown – is red, followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, which circles around Downtown Pittsburgh and leads the way to many of its cultural attractions. Three belts – purple, blue, and yellow – make complete loops. Got it? If yes, know that you’re one of the few who do. The best way to learn where the belt roads go is to drive them. This is also a fun way to discover the area. And once you learn where they go, they really can save you time.
Perhaps the quirkiest road quirk of all in Pittsburgh is the use of chairs. Yes, that’s right. Chairs. If you drive along the Burgh’s residential streets, you may come upon a parking space in front of a house where the residents have placed a couple of chairs. But don’t be misled. The chairs are not for sitting. The chairs serve as a “Reserved Parking” sign. “Reserved for whom?” you may ask. For the people who placed the chairs in that particular space. Different? Yes. Crazy? Maybe. But the chairs are Pittsburghers’ way of letting one and all know the space is sanctuary to the people who own the chairs. No one knows when this quaint custom started, but it’s been going on for years, and the custom is deeply ingrained into the culture of the ‘Burgh.
The Bus Can Get You There
If you’d rather not drive, don’t. In Pittsburgh, you have plenty of convenient, public-transportation options to get you where you want to go easily and inexpensively.
Busing is one of the most convenient ways to get around town. The Port Authority of Pittsburgh (PAT) operates a fleet of 866 buses, the largest in the Greater Pittsburgh area. PAT provides service to Allegheny County, and has stops and park and rides in Beaver, Butler, Washington, and Westmoreland counties located near the border of Allegheny County. Fares are based on a zone structure. Expect to pay a little more if you cross zones. When taking a bus, you pay when you get on. If you’re traveling outbound from the city to the suburbs, you usually pay when you get off. But remember, bus drivers don’t carry exact change. If you lack the exact fare, you’ll have to ante up a higher amount. For more information, visit www.portauthority.org or call 412-442-2000.
PAT may be the largest bus service in the area, but it’s not the only one around. Each county has its own dedicated service. The GG&C Bus Company in Washington County has 125 vehicles; the Beaver County Transit Authority, 51 buses; Westmoreland County Transit Authority, 31 buses; Mid-Mon Valley Transit, with 27 buses, serves Allegheny, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland counties. The Butler Transit Authority has 7 buses.
“T” Stands for Subway And Other Modes of Transit
The “T” is Pittsburgh’s 25.2-mile subway and light-rail system connecting Downtown with the South Hills area. The four, underground stops in Downtown will give you the feel of a big-city subway system. These stops are kept fairly tidy, and as you wait for your train, you’re likely to hear classical music coming from the speakers above. On exiting the city, the train emerges from the depths, crosses the Monongahela River, and enters Station Square, a popular spot for shopping, dinner, and drinks converted some time ago from a warehouse district along the river. From Station Square, the train heads to neighborhoods in the South Hills of Pittsburgh.
By 2011, when Pittsburgh’s “big dig” tunnel system under the Allegheny River reaches completion, the subway and light-rail system will extend even farther. Construction of the Port Authority’s $435-million, 2,400-foot, twin tunnels will extend the system from Downtown Pittsburgh to the North Shore. When completed, the twin tunnels will provide subway access between Gateway Station in Downtown Pittsburgh and North Shore venues like a new amphitheater and the Majestic Star Casino, and will include two stations near PNC Park and Heinz Field.
Three, Hard-Working Rivers
Given that many companies and organizations use the words “Three Rivers” in their names, you might have surmised that our waterways play a major role in the Greater Pittsburgh region. And you’d be right. The Port of Pittsburgh reaches out through 12 counties in Western Pennsylvania, is the second busiest inland port in the United States, and the 18th busiest port of any kind, as per the 2006 rankings based on the latest data available.
With nearly 42-million tons of cargo moving along its waters – more than larger cities like Philadelphia — the Port of Pittsburgh is an important, economic development engine. The port is estimated to generate $380 million annually for Southwestern Pennsylvania and to provide about 34,000 jobs related to waterway transportation.
Relative to development in Pittsburgh, in November 2006, the Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Soffer Organization broke ground on the first phases of the South Side Works Riverfront Park. The park includes landscaped park space, bike trails and docks, and serves as a destination for water taxis. In 2008, the Soffer Organization started construction on an 18,000-square-foot Hofbrauhaus, a German, beer restaurant with seating for more than 1,000, and a 140-room, four-star hotel.
Are You Inclined To Take an Incline?
Visitors and new residents to Pittsburgh like to ride on two of the few remaining inclines left in the United States — the Monongahela and the Duquesne. As these box-like cable cars crawl up and down the face of Mount Washington, riders thrill to a panoramic view of the Pittsburgh skyline. Built late in the 1800’s, the inclines first transported residents from neighborhoods atop Mount Washington down to the grimey, sooty streets and mills below. Now, the Monongahela and the Duquesne are charming tourist attractions, and both are worth a ride.
Dating back to 1870, the Monongahela is the oldest incline in Pittsburgh. Located across from Station Square, this incline is probably traveled the most. Besides exciting the tourists who ride it, the Monongahela remains the transportation mode of choice for the many residents on Mount Washington who ride it to get to Downtown Pittsburgh and their jobs.
For a true taste of history, go back in time and travel the Duquesne Incline. Cars are as they were in their heyday, with hand-carved cherry panels, brass fittings, and stained glass transoms. You can park free in the large, gravel lot at the foot of Mount Washington, and enjoy a meal at the top at any of the fine restaurants there.
Bicycling’s Best-Kept Secret
If you like to bike, here’s what Bicycling magazine writes about Pittsburgh on its website: “The ‘Burgh is now one of bicycling’s best-kept secrets. The city’s parks and hills provide beautiful places to ride and challenge yourself, and the surrounding countryside offers some of the best Eastern-style mountain biking we know of.”
This best-kept secret may not last much longer. Thanks to bike enthusiasts and organizations like the Allegheny Trail Alliance (ATA), people will soon be able to pedal from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. on “non-motorized” trails. This is all part of the Great Allegheny Passage, an ambitious, multi-county rails-to-trails project —converting old rail lines to bike trails – that will link area trails into a 150-mile stretch from Greater Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland (See feature on p. 14). There, the trail joins with the C&O Canal Towpath that leads to Washington, D.C. Construction of the Steel Valley Section, from McKeesport
to Pittsburgh, was recently completed. To learn more, visit ATA’s site at www.atatrail.org or call
888-ATA-BIKE
In the last few years, other organizations have emerged to raise awareness of cycling in the region. To learn more about them and the cycling scene, check out Bike Pittsburgh at www.bike-pgh.org. The site contains news and information about events and goings on in the area. You may also want to visit Pittsburgh Critical Mass at www.pghcriticalmass.org. This group that meets weekly and at times, hits the streets en masse to raise awareness of cycling as a viable means of transportation.
Car Sharing Comes to Pittsburgh
As commercial real estate grows more precious in Pittsburgh and Oakland, and as the permanent residential population of Downtown grows in the years ahead, parking space comes at a premium in Pittsburgh. To combat the shortage and to make the city greener, car sharing, a strategy used in cities from Los Angeles, California to Rochester, New York, is one solution.
In conjunction with the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, Zipcar, headquarteredin Boston, Massachusetts, signs up residents or employees throughout Pittsburgh. The company’s cars in Downtown Pittsburgh, Oakland, Shadyside, Bloomfield and Squirrel Hill are available on an hourly basis as needed. Members pay $50 for an annual membership and an additional $25 one time application fee. They may then use cars for $9 per hour. Zipcar members in Pittsburgh may also use cars in any Zipcar-available city, including Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and many others. You can sign up or find all vehicle locations at www.zipcar.com.
Pittsburgh is known for its hills and bridges. But don’t let the terrain get in the way of getting around. There’s always transportation aplenty to take you to and from your destination whatever travel mode
you choose.mg |
