Port Authority will implement changes to 60 bus and trolley routes starting on March 14 in the first phase of a sweeping overhaul that ultimately will affect virtually every rider.

The changes were approved in October by the authority's board of directors and are intended to make service more efficient and cost-effective. While the overall number of routes will decrease, authority officials have said that most riders will get improved service -- faster and more frequent trips and service earlier and later in the day.

A portion of the plan calling for a reduction in the number of stops will be implemented after the route changes have taken effect, authority spokesman Jim Ritchie said yesterday.

These routes will be discontinued on March 14 (in many cases, other routes will be available nearby): 3L Creighton-Lower Burrell Express; 3M Tarentum Natrona Express; 24A Crafton-Presston; 33F McDonald; 44D Jefferson; 44E Inglewood; 44F Terrace; 55D West Run-Brierly Lane; 55E Whitaker-West Mifflin; 58P Port Vue-Liberty Express; 58V Versailles Express.

Also, 59U SouthSide Works-Oakland-Waterfront; 60S Crawford Village-Jenny Lind; 61F Homestead Park; 69A Forbes; 75D Penn Hills-Monroeville; 77C Shadyside; 78C Shadyside Express; 93A Aspinwall-Cheswick Express; AVN Allegheny Valley North Flyer; CO Coraopolis Flyer; OV Ohio Valley Flyer; and T Trafford Flyer.

Also on March 14, Light Rail Transit routes will shed their numerical designations in favor of colors. The 42C and 42S will become the Red Line; 47L and 47S the Blue Line; and 52 the Brown Line.

Decisions haven't been made on eliminating stops along the rail routes, but the plan adopted by the board does call for fewer stops.

The 28X Airport Express will begin direct operation between Oakland, Downtown and Pittsburgh International, without the detour into Robinson Town Centre. A new 24 West Park route will serve the shopping district.

A new route, 75 Ellsworth, will operate from East Liberty to the SouthSide Works, via Shadyside and Oakland.

The Port Authority plans an information blitz starting in mid-February that will include brochures distributed at stops. Riders also can sign up for e-mail notifications of when their routes will change. A signup form is available by going to www.portauthority.org and clicking on Route & Fare Changes Coming 2010.

A fare increase for some riders will take effect Jan. 1. The Zone 1 base cash fare will remain $2 but the Zone 2 fare will increase by 15 cents to $2.75 and transfers will increase by 25 cents to 75 cents. Monthly passes will increase to $80 for Zone 1 and $105 for Zone 2.

There will no longer be a third fare zone -- it will be merged with Zone 2. The increases also were approved by the board in October.

Other routes changing on March 14 (with new route name or other changes in parentheses):

1A (1 Freeport Road); 5A (becomes 5 Natrona); 16A (becomes 14 Ohio Valley); 16B (16 Brighton); 16D (18 Manchester); 21A (21 Coraopolis); 21B (20 Kennedy); 21C and 21D (24 West Park); 21F (22 McCoy); 28M (32 Campbells Run); 28X (begins direct Oakland-Downtown-airport service, to be renamed later); 33X (G1 West Busway-All Stops); 42C (Red Line -- Overbrook Junction via Beechview); 42S (Red Line -- South Hills Village via Beechview); 47L (Blue Line -- Library); 47S (Blue Line -- South Hills Village via Overbrook); 52 (Brown Line).

58C (P7 McKeesport Flyer); 59A (59 Mon Valley); 60A and 60K (60 Walnut-Crawford Village); 60B and 60E (61 White Oak); 60M and 60P (62 Liberty-North Versailles); 61A, B, C (increased service and better trip timing, to be renamed later); 61D (61D Murray with seven-day Waterfront service, to be renamed again later); 64A (64 Lawrenceville-Waterfront); 71C (route reduced because of new 75 Ellsworth route); 100 (G2 West Busway-Oakland); AV (P10 Allegheny Valley Flyer); B (19L Emsworth Limited); D (P11 Middle Road Flyer).

The next phase of route changes will occur in June, Mr. Ritchie said. More information about fare and route changes, including maps, can be viewed at http://tdp.portauthority.org.

Jon Schmitz can be reached at jschmitz@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1868.

Port Authority will implement changes to 60 bus and trolley routes starting on March 14 in the first phase of a sweeping overhaul that ultimately will affect virtually every rider.

The changes were approved in October by the authority's board of directors and are intended to make service more efficient and cost-effective. While the overall number of routes will decrease, authority officials have said that most riders will get improved service -- faster and more frequent trips and service earlier and later in the day.

A portion of the plan calling for a reduction in the number of stops will be implemented after the route changes have taken effect, authority spokesman Jim Ritchie said yesterday.

These routes will be discontinued on March 14 (in many cases, other routes will be available nearby): 3L Creighton-Lower Burrell Express; 3M Tarentum Natrona Express; 24A Crafton-Presston; 33F McDonald; 44D Jefferson; 44E Inglewood; 44F Terrace; 55D West Run-Brierly Lane; 55E Whitaker-West Mifflin; 58P Port Vue-Liberty Express; 58V Versailles Express.

Also, 59U SouthSide Works-Oakland-Waterfront; 60S Crawford Village-Jenny Lind; 61F Homestead Park; 69A Forbes; 75D Penn Hills-Monroeville; 77C Shadyside; 78C Shadyside Express; 93A Aspinwall-Cheswick Express; AVN Allegheny Valley North Flyer; CO Coraopolis Flyer; OV Ohio Valley Flyer; and T Trafford Flyer.

Also on March 14, Light Rail Transit routes will shed their numerical designations in favor of colors. The 42C and 42S will become the Red Line; 47L and 47S the Blue Line; and 52 the Brown Line.

Decisions haven't been made on eliminating stops along the rail routes, but the plan adopted by the board does call for fewer stops.

The 28X Airport Express will begin direct operation between Oakland, Downtown and Pittsburgh International, without the detour into Robinson Town Centre. A new 24 West Park route will serve the shopping district.

A new route, 75 Ellsworth, will operate from East Liberty to the SouthSide Works, via Shadyside and Oakland.

The Port Authority plans an information blitz starting in mid-February that will include brochures distributed at stops. Riders also can sign up for e-mail notifications of when their routes will change. A signup form is available by going to www.portauthority.org and clicking on Route & Fare Changes Coming 2010.

A fare increase for some riders will take effect Jan. 1. The Zone 1 base cash fare will remain $2 but the Zone 2 fare will increase by 15 cents to $2.75 and transfers will increase by 25 cents to 75 cents. Monthly passes will increase to $80 for Zone 1 and $105 for Zone 2.

There will no longer be a third fare zone -- it will be merged with Zone 2. The increases also were approved by the board in October.

Other routes changing on March 14 (with new route name or other changes in parentheses):

1A (1 Freeport Road); 5A (becomes 5 Natrona); 16A (becomes 14 Ohio Valley); 16B (16 Brighton); 16D (18 Manchester); 21A (21 Coraopolis); 21B (20 Kennedy); 21C and 21D (24 West Park); 21F (22 McCoy); 28M (32 Campbells Run); 28X (begins direct Oakland-Downtown-airport service, to be renamed later); 33X (G1 West Busway-All Stops); 42C (Red Line -- Overbrook Junction via Beechview); 42S (Red Line -- South Hills Village via Beechview); 47L (Blue Line -- Library); 47S (Blue Line -- South Hills Village via Overbrook); 52 (Brown Line).

58C (P7 McKeesport Flyer); 59A (59 Mon Valley); 60A and 60K (60 Walnut-Crawford Village); 60B and 60E (61 White Oak); 60M and 60P (62 Liberty-North Versailles); 61A, B, C (increased service and better trip timing, to be renamed later); 61D (61D Murray with seven-day Waterfront service, to be renamed again later); 64A (64 Lawrenceville-Waterfront); 71C (route reduced because of new 75 Ellsworth route); 100 (G2 West Busway-Oakland); AV (P10 Allegheny Valley Flyer); B (19L Emsworth Limited); D (P11 Middle Road Flyer).

The next phase of route changes will occur in June, Mr. Ritchie said. More information about fare and route changes, including maps, can be viewed at http://tdp.portauthority.org.

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