67-year-old woman wants PRT to reconsider elimination of bus stop

By Yazmin Rodriguez

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    PITTSBURGH (WTAE) — “All I ask is for them is to — they say they are supposed to help seniors. PRT is supposed to be there to help seniors,” said Antoinette Zanders. “Help me by keeping my stop there.”

Zanders is a 67-year-old woman with multiple health issues, including Parkinson’s disease and arthritis. She thought moving to the Electric Avenue Apartments, a senior housing complex in East Pittsburgh, would make it easier to get around and be active in her community.

“When I first moved here, I thought God had placed me right where I needed to be because I come out of my apartment, come down the ramp and the bus stop is right here,” Zanders said.

She said all that could go away after Pittsburgh Regional Transit came to a decision to no longer keep the bus stop in operation.

“It doesn’t seem like it’s far. But somebody with a walker like me, it is,” Zanders said.

The distance from Zanders’ original bus stop to what would be the new stop is only a few blocks. But it’s the uneven sidewalks that cause concern. She already struggles to walk the sidewalk and says that will only get worse in winter with snow and ice. She also says the area where she would now have to get on and off is not well-lit.

“As an elderly person, and with health issues, why would you make me go from where it’s convenient for me to come out of my apartment (and) stand right here, for me to walk all the way down there?” Zanders said.

According to PRT, the stop does not conform to their bus stop and street design guidelines, is not located in a crosswalk and is used by fewer than one person a day. Officials consider multiple factors before determining where a bus stop would be, like how many potential bus passengers and how far passengers have to walk, as well as numerous safety concerns.

Zanders said moving this stop will now challenge her sense of independence. It’s easy for her to walk down a few steps and wait for the bus, but having to navigate walking a longer way, both back and forth, would exhaust her before her day even starts.

“If I have to walk down there or walk up there, there’s no guarantee I’d want to leave my house,” Zanders said.

The bus stop will be eliminated Oct. 20, according to a sign posted at the stop. Zanders is still hopeful that PRT will change its decision.

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