Letter to the editor: How would Skybus have changed Pittsburgh?

I wonder … .

I wonder what Pittsburgh would have been like today if the innovative Skybus had been passed by the Allegheny County commissioners in the 1960s. Back then, steel was all that mattered to Pittsburgh. Population drain? With steel mills going 24/7? What need was there for Skybus?

I wonder if Skybus could have made Pittsburgh a destination city. But I get it. People are afraid to venture into new innovative areas, to invest money, to take chances. We see it today through the slow pace of investing money in green energy. We all know the arguments for and against green energy, and the arguments for and against fossil fuels.

I wonder if the proposed hyperloop system that would transport people and freight between Pittsburgh and Chicago is too radical for government and private investments. This would surely make Pittsburgh a destination city, bring in visitors and bring in millions of dollars for the secondary industries. It might cause a growth in the city’s population.

I wonder what caused Columbus, Ohio, leaders to not envision the future of this innovative endeavor for their city.

I wonder if Pittsburgh will see the benefits of investing in the hyperloop in its future.

Richard Patton

Franklin Township, Beaver County