1Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Port Authority of
2Allegheny County.

3WHEREAS, Allegheny County has a history of public
4transportation for over 150 years, including horse-drawn
5carriages, streetcars, buses and inclines; and

6WHEREAS, After World War II, the economic boom and increased
7highway construction led to dwindling ridership due to the
8increase in automobile ownership; and

9WHEREAS, Pittsburgh was the home to the country's largest
10streetcar system in the 1960s with about half of the streetcar
11lines losing money or breaking even because fares were unable to
12keep pace with rising costs; and

13WHEREAS, The citizens of Allegheny County, recognizing the
14need for a strong public transit system and faced with a
15declining, fragmented system, petitioned for a countywide public

1transportation system; and

2WHEREAS, The General Assembly enacted legislation creating
3the Port Authority of Allegheny County, which officially began
4its functions on March 1, 1964, immediately consolidating 33
5independent transportation companies into one system; and

6WHEREAS, In the Port Authority of Allegheny County's first
7full year of operation, ridership increased by nearly 10 million
8as the Port Authority expanded existing routes and established
9new routes; and

10WHEREAS, The Port Authority of Allegheny County continued to
11increase ridership and improve and expand its services
12throughout the following decades, especially during the oil
13crisis in 1980 when ridership peaked at 112 million due to
14exponentially rising gasoline prices; and

15WHEREAS, The Port Authority of Allegheny County continues to
16modernize and adapt to new technologies and challenges,
17including using hybrid buses and adding bicycle racks; and

18WHEREAS, The Port Authority of Allegheny County also
19preserves the area's rich history by maintaining the two
20remaining inclines, the Duquesne and Monongahela Inclines, the
21latter of which is the oldest, continuously operating incline in
22the United States; and

23WHEREAS, The Port Authority of Allegheny County offers
24programs like the ACCESS program that helps senior citizens and
25persons with disabilities utilize public transportation; and

26WHEREAS, The Port Authority of Allegheny County offers free
27and reduced fares for senior citizens, persons with
28disabilities, students and others therefore ensuring access to
29public transportation for all residents, regardless of age,
30income or ability; and

1WHEREAS, Today, the Port Authority of Allegheny County
2continues to offer a variety of services and technologies that
3help connect the greater community as it has for the past half
4century; therefore be it

5RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commemorate the
650th anniversary of the Port Authority of Allegheny County; and
7be it further

8RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor the Port
9Authority of Allegheny County for the great role that it has
10played in supporting the community and bringing its residents
11together.