A Message From Steve Bland
Dear Friends,
The first round of route changes created under our Transit Development Plan will begin on Sunday, April 4, 2010.
Before then, please take some time to review the details, maps and schedules now available online at portauthority.org.
More changes will occur in phases throughout the next few years, implementing the most extensive system-wide improvements at Port Authority since its conception.
We had to take a hard look at our system and offer honest assessments of what worked and what didn't work. Like you, we've struggled with the idea of change - it's never easy. But, we know when we make these changes, they should be done correctly.
Riders deserve better service choices and should be confident that we're pursuing a system that establishes a solid foundation for our futures.
This type of overhaul has not occurred at Port Authority in about 50 years -- that's before the Steelers won the team's first Super Bowl.
Through those years, however, riders and leaders repeatedly have called for better transit options- something more convenient, efficient and easier to understand. State officials who help fund Port Authority have demanded change. The state funding formula adopted two years ago requires us to pursue a more efficient system. That means moving underused routes to areas that demand more service.
So, we've crunched piles of data and considered comments from thousands of riders, local groups, community leaders and elected officials.
We've developed a system that will move Port Authority's service network forward. It eliminates duplication. It’s simpler. And, it ensures Port Authority will not hinder its ability to receive transit funding.
The plan is not a reduction in service. We're simply matching demand with service. The number of weekday bus trips, for example, will increase by 6 percent even though the number of overall routes will drop from 186 to 122.
The bottom line: fewer routes, better choices, less confusion.
We will implement color codes to simplify the system. Busways and light rail lines will be identified with a color and the vehicles that use them will be given a special route name. For example, the East Busway will be identified with the color purple and routes that use the busway will have a "P" in front of their route numbers.
Our routes will not change all at once. The changes will be implemented in phases through the year with the first round starting on April 4. We will announce other upcoming phases well in advance of the actual changes.
Later, more improvements are planned, including streamlined circulation patterns in Downtown Pittsburgh and the introduction of new "Rapid Bus" lines along some of our most traveled routes. Buses running these routes will serve fewer stops, offering decreased travel times through those corridors.
Other planned improvements include consolidating stops, developing transit hubs and expanding parking options.
Although the new system will be different, it maintains or improves service to the vast majority of current riders. Nearly 90 percent of riders will maintain or gain improvements through the changes. About 10 percent will lose their current route but have an obvious alternative. Less than 0.5 percent of riders will not have an immediate option.
This planning effort, spanning two years, has been significant.
- Authority staff attended more than 160 public open houses, community meetings and public hearings.
- We received about 5,500 comments on the plan, which led us to make changes to 27 routes in our initial proposal.
- We held an all-day public hearing in Downtown Pittsburgh on Sept. 15 at the Pittsburgh Marriott City Center.
On the Port Authority website (portauthority.org), you will find links to the key information, including detailed maps showing the route changes occurring in April.
Also, Port Authority employees will be passing out flyers at key stops in Downtown Pittsburgh in the weeks just prior to the change. Look for them at the Downtown Service Center. Buses also will have informational flyers in the weeks prior to the change.
Remember, the first changes occur on Sunday, April 4th.
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