What’s happening to my route?

Port Authority released its final proposed Transit Development Plan to the public today and you may have already heard that certain routes are being cut.

While the total number of routes will decrease, the overall amount of service will increase. On average, the number of trips per route per weekday will increase by 65 percent.

Let’s take a look at what’s happening to some current routes and how their riders will be served under the proposed TDP:

• 16A Ohio River Boulevard: This route would be consolidated with the OV Ohio Valley Flyer route to create a new service, the 14L Ohio Valley Limited. The new route would provide more frequent and consistent service in the corridor from Ambridge to Downtown Pittsburgh, running every 15 minutes during peak periods.
• 51D Churchview: Most of this route’s service area would be served by a new route, 50 Spencer.
• 59U SouthSide Works-Oakland-Waterfront: Oakland, Squirrel Hill and the Waterfront would be linked by two new Rapid Bus routes, R3 McKeesport Rapid and R4 Homestead Rapid. Riders would be able to use the new route 75 Ellsworth to travel between SouthSide Works and Oakland (and beyond to Shadyside and East Liberty). The current 59U route doesn’t start service until nearly 9:30 a.m., but the R3, R4 and 75 Ellsworth would begin service around 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. and run more frequently.
• 61F Homestead Park: Service would be provided by a new route, 53 Homestead Park, which would operate at greater frequency and provide more hours of service per day.
• 63A North Braddock Express: Service would be provided by new routes P76 Lincoln Highway Flyer, featuring peak period express service to and from Downtown Pittsburgh, and 76 Lincoln Highway, featuring off-peak service to the Wilkinsburg busway station. Riders would also be able to use the new 63 Edgewood, which would take riders to Wilkinsburg station.
• 63B Rankin Express: Riders would be able to take the new route P71 Swisshelm Park-Rankin Flyer, providing peak period service down the busway between Swissvale station and Downtown Pittsburgh, or 71 Swisshelm Park-Rankin, which would operate off-peak between Swissvale Station and Wilkinsburg Station via Edgewood Towne Center.
• 69A Forbes: Service would be provided by the new Rapid Bus route, R1 Wilkinsburg, providing a fast link from Wilkinsburg to Downtown via Oakland.
• 77D Highland-Friendship: The area will be served by three new routes: the R5 Negley Rapid Bus, the R6 Highland Rapid Bus and 87 Friendship, all of which would run more frequently than the 77D and provide earlier morning and later evening service.
• 84C Hill Loop: New routes 81 Oak Hill and 83 Webster will serve most of the 84C route, connecting Downtown, the Hill District and Oakland.

In creating the proposed plan, Port Authority worked very hard to ensure that more people enjoy more – and better! – service that’s easier to understand. So many routes that seem to be “eliminated” are actually being absorbed into new configurations that are faster and more efficient.

Next week we’ll post individual route maps on the Transit Development Plan site so it’ll be easier for riders to visualize how their trips will shape up. In the meantime, please let us know in the comments if there are any other routes you’d like to know about.

Tomorrow is TDP Day

Be sure to check back here and on the Port Authority's Web site tomorrow for full details on the proposed final Transit Development Plan.

We'll have specific information about proposed route changes, fare adjustments and much more posted on our TDP site, http://tdp.portauthority.org. You'll be able to share your feedback through the Web site, and we also welcome you to leave your comments on the proposed final plan here on our blog.

Starting tomorrow, we'll tackle some of the most commonly asked questions from riders and community members, as well as address any rumors you might have heard about service changes.

We're excited to share our ideas and hear yours!

Proposed Final Transit Development Plan Released Friday

Allegheny County has changed dramatically over the past 40 years, and Port Authority is working to create a transit system that will better serve riders as well as provide a framework for future growth.

Port Authority takes riders to work, to school, to medical appointments, to visit friends and family, to sporting events and the mall, and so much more. The goal of the Transit Development Plan is to ensure riders remain connected to all these things by improving our bus, light rail and ACCESS service.

This Friday, August 28, we will reveal the proposed final draft of its Transit Development Plan, the result of nearly two years of analysis of the current system, as well as proposed fare changes.

Over the last two years, we’ve interviewed community leaders, studied other cities’ transit systems, evaluated the efficiency of individual routes and taken your comments about how service can be improved. In May, Port Authority unveiled three possible service concepts and asked for additional public comment on these ideas. We listened to issues raised by riders and community members, and kept those thoughts in mind as we created a new proposed final draft of the plan, which will be available for review on Friday.

The hub for all Transit Development Plan-related information will be our Web site at http://tdp.portauthority.org/paac/. There you’ll be able to review maps and detailed information about route changes and service improvements. You’ll also be able to submit your thoughts and comments, as well as find information on our upcoming public hearing, scheduled for Tuesday, September 15 in Downtown Pittsburgh.

The new proposed final draft will be posted Friday, but in the meantime please feel free to check out the Web site to learn more about the history of the Transit Development Plan, view the project schedule, sign up for email updates and much more. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Mon Incline Honored by Pittsburgh Magazine

The Port Authority-operated Monongahela Incline is featured as the city’s “Best Park n’ Ride” on Pittsburgh Magazine’s annual “Best of Pittsburgh” list. Highlighted as a fun, inexpensive activity that’s great for families, the historic railway offers easy access to all the amenities of Station Square and one of the best city skyline views anywhere! The incline has been taking riders to and from Mt. Washington since May 28, 1870, making it the oldest continuously operating funicular railway in the U.S. It officially became a part of Port Authority in 1964.

Thanks to Pittsburgh Magazine and all those who voted for the incline in the Readers Poll!

G-20 Transit Information

Make sure to visit our new G-20 hub at www.portauthority.org/g20.

We anticipate significant changes in our bus and light rail service during the week of G-20. However, we don't anticipate getting specific details about security-related street closings and other information until a week or two before the event scheduled for Sept. 24-25.

This Web page will become one way of getting route and detour information out quickly to riders. There is an e-mail sign up that will allow us to reach you directly with this information.

Sign up now so that we can keep you informed as information becomes available.

150 Years of Streetcars

There's still time to make it to the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum's 150 Years of Pittsburgh Streetcars celebration. The anniversary event -- "From Horse Cars to Hybrids" -- kicked off Thursday and runs through Sunday. The doors are open 10-5 daily. Port Authority CEO Steve Bland participated in a cake-cutting ceremony Thursday along with museum officials.

The event marks the 150th anniversary of Pittsburgh's first horse car line, which began operating along Penn Avenue on Aug. 6, 1859. Visitors will get a rare look inside the only preserved Pittsburgh horse car and learn a bit about life during that era. Other streetcars are on display as is a Port Authority hybrid bus -- demonstrating the progression of public transportation.

More than 24,000 people visited the museum in 2008. The building covers 28,000 square feet and houses nearly 30 electric railway passenger, freight and work cars from the region.

For more info, call 724-228-9256 or visit http://www.pa-trolley.org/.