I moved to Pittsburgh to attend college at the University of Pittsburgh. During those four years, I did not have a car and got around campus by foot and bus. While walking along the busy streets of Fifth Avenue and Forbes Avenue, I noticed how hard it was to navigate the city by car: lots of accidents, heavy traffic and confusing street patterns. Not to mention the seemingly constant construction. Indeed, everyone who lives in Pittsburgh knows that our city has two seasons, winter and construction; neither of which is easy to navigate for drivers! So as an undergrad, I made a promise to never drive while I lived in Pittsburgh.

Little did I know that I would stay in Pittsburgh for grad school, marriage and children. Eventually, I did get a car along with a house in Mt. Lebanon. My family loves living in Pittsburgh and specifically in Mt. Lebanon. Although I did learn to drive here and became confident enough to get around, I quickly realized how much I appreciated using the light rail system. Affectionately known as the T or the trolley, it is easily accessible from many residences in the community.

My first experience taking the T was long ago when I would visit my grandparents in Mt. Lebanon. I was born and raised in rural Virginia without a lot of public transportation, so the T was an exciting novelty at the time. My grandparents, longtime residents of Seneca Drive, would take us into the city on the T. We were thrilled at the sights along the way and enjoyed the treat of eating at the downtown McDonald’s (RIP) when we got there.

Later in life I bought a condo in Mt. Lebanon, from which I was able to walk to the T and ride downtown for work. It was so simple, scenic, and gave me time to relax without the need to pay attention to traffic. Plus, it was much cheaper and easier than finding parking. I used the time to catch up with friends and neighbors who were my fellow passengers. Some of my favorite memories of those days are chatting with the people who formed my little T social group. I likely never would have met them if it wasn’t for taking the T.

Nowadays, I don’t work downtown anymore; but it’s amazing how useful the T still is for us. We take it to the Cultural District to see the Pittsburgh Symphony or a show at the Benedum. You can take the family along a T line to the Pirates stadium or the Carnegie Science Center. My husband and I took the T to a Steelers game. Not only does our municipality have its own special attractions and amenities, but it provides easy access to all of downtown and the North Shore. I’ve learned to truly appreciate the convenience of living near good public transportation, which is just another benefit of living in Mt. Lebanon.