FREE RIDERS, CONTINUED FROM PG. 06
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what price?� But have the Steelers and Rivers pulled out because of an unreasonable price tag? Or have they simply realized they might be able to take advantage of the free-fare zone without contributing to it? Either way, says Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, “We might get to the point where we can’t do a free-fare zone anymore. Free isn’t free.�
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THE North Shore Connector opened in March 2012, it was widely considered a $523 million “boondoggle,â€? as current PAT CEO Ellen McLean recently put it. The 1.2-mile extension under the Allegheny River, connecting the T to the North Side, was the remnant of a transit vision once ďŹ lled with optimism and grandeur. As recently as the mid-1990s, the transit agency had considered building the ill-fated “Spine Lineâ€? — a light-rail system that would have connected Oakland to Downtown and the North Side. A Republican-led coalition in county government effectively killed the plan — and the resulting North Shore Connector ended up being “the leastworst alignment,â€? says Chris Sandvig, regional policy director for the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group. “And that ended up going to the stadiums.â€? With lobbying from groups like the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, and with Fitzgerald chipping in political muscle to negotiate with the Steelers and casino, the idea was born to continue the Downtown free-fare zone to the North Side. PDP “saw this as an opportunity to expand the borders of Downtown,â€? PAT spokesman Jim Ritchie says. OfďŹ cials also hoped it would help ease trafďŹ c Downtown and on the North Side by encouraging people to park and ride the T — all while spurring development. The original deal was structured so that each of the two North Shore Connector stations would have sponsors for making fares at those stations free. The Stadium Authority and Alco Parking would pay $495,000 over three years to keep North Side station free. The Steelers and Rivers Casino split $615,000 over three years to keep Allegheny Station free. Alco and the Stadium Authority
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chris jamison, singer, “the voice� finalist, www.iamchrisjamison.com wearing norman childs eyewear
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the world’s finest collection of unique eyewear Chris Jamison Live Free Concert at Pittsburgh Earth Day 4.22 from 6-7PM at Mellon Square Park
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agreed to a new deal that took effect last month and is worth $1.2 million over ďŹ ve years to keep North Side station free. That’s a roughly 41 percent increase in payments over their original contract — perhaps an indication of the free-fare zone’s increasing value. But there was a crucial difference in the deal with the Steelers and Rivers — something that the transit agency says has essentially derailed negotiations. According to the original agreement, $40,000 of their annual payments guaranteed exclusive advertising rights at Allegheny Station, along with the promise that PAT would not sell the naming rights to the station. Advertising and naming rights were never part of the North Side station deal with Alco and the Stadium Authority. Today, advertising in Allegheny Station is worth at least $100,000 to $150,000 per year, Ritchie says, well above the $40,000 the casino and Steelers split annually. Naming rights are likely worth hundreds of thousands of dollars more. PAT realized the value of the advertising space and went to the Steelers and casino with an offer to continue sponsoring free fares with payment increases similar to those secured with Alco and the Stadium Authority — only without ad rights, Ritchie says. That proposal was rejected and the transit agency made another offer that was similar, Ritchie says, to the original deal, but without ad rights. Still, the Steelers and casino balked. That position from the Steelers drew criticism from transit advocates like the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group’s Sandvig. “You are a $1 billion-plus franchise, one of the most successful in professional sports ‌ why wouldn’t you do it?â€? Sandvig asks. It also makes good business sense, Sandvig adds, “because it makes getting to your venue easier and cheaper for those who will be using it.â€? The Steelers declined to comment for this story. Through a spokeswoman, Rivers Casino General Manager Craig Clark wrote, “Rivers Casino has been proud to support the T free-fare zone, which is a great convenience for guests visiting the North Shore. We have made a proposal to [Port Authority] to renew our sponsorship.â€? The casino would not elaborate.
“WE MIGHT GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN’T DO A FREE-FARE ZONE ANYMORE. FREE ISN’T FREE.�
CONTINUES ON PG. 10
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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER 04.22/04.29.2015