Connecting Wilkinsburg TRID Study
Connecting Wilkinsburg is a study to evaluate the feasibility of a Transit Revitalization Investment District (TRID) for Wilkinsburg, PA centered around Wilkinsburg Station along the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway. The Wilkinsburg TRID study analyzes station access and infrastructure condition at the station and in the surrounding area. The study also evaluates station area market conditions for development potential and available development sites that could provide a capitalized anchor to a TRID. Tax-increment within a TRID would then finance infrastructure improvements that are aligned with the community’s goals.
Our team used this study as an opportunity for the residents of Wilkinsburg to articulate their shared concerns and values. We used this feedback to inform the types of infrastructure and development to prioritize as well as to identify policies the community should consider in preparation for potential transformative development. We organized the values of the community into five categories:
- Connectivity considers how Wilkinsburg is connected to surrounding communities and economic centers through major public transit assets such as the East Busway.
- Mobility considers how pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users navigate through the community in a safe, comfortable, and easy to understand manner.
- Activity considers opportunities for community-building programming that makes Wilkinsburg a more welcoming and exciting place to live, work, and play.
- Opportunity considers the potential for community-based wealth building, workforce development, and jobs creation.
- Equitable Development considers ways for the community to grow through reinvestment without compromising affordability and economic accessibility for longtime residents.
To explore these ideas with the community and help them understand how a Wilkinsburg TRID could work, evolveEA created a board game used in public meetings and with stakeholders.