Hundreds of buses will no longer travel Forbes Avenue through the heart of Market Square starting today, when the Port Authority permanently moves 22 routes to nearby streets.

City officials and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership asked for the shift to make the area more pedestrian-friendly. Eventually, the lower end of Forbes Avenue is to be closed as part of a Market Square makeover.

These routes and associated stops on Forbes below Wood Street will be moved: 51E, 58C, 58P, 58V, 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, 61F, 67A, 67C, 67E, 67F, 67H, 67J, 68A, 68F, 68J, 71A, 71C, 71D and the EBS Short.

Most buses will be shifted to a loop using the bus lanes on Wood Street, the Boulevard of Allies, Stanwix Street and Fifth Avenue rather than continuing down Forbes through Market Square to get to Stanwix.

Authority spokeswoman Judi McNeil said many riders should be used to the changes because Forbes Avenue has been closed often for construction, movie shoots, rallies and other activities.

Brochures containing detailed maps and stop changes are available at the Downtown Service Center, inside affected buses and on the Internet at www.portauthority.org.