PAT Has Three New Plans

The Port Authority of Allegheny County has posted three broad concepts for a new service template on its website. PAT spokesperson Jim Ritchie says the ultimate goal is to find a smarter way to run the system. He says all the consultants looked for the waste in the system and then reallocated those resources. Ritchie says the public can look at the concepts online and then leave comments. The plans will also be presented at open house event June 3rd and 8th. The Authority will also be making presentations to several organizations. One of the concepts would use “rapid buses” or express buses on existing routes. Another would dump the hub and spoke system for a grid system with buses moving either north and south or east and west. Riders would have to make more transfers under tat plan. Ritchie says PAT is a bit skeptical of that plan but they want to get input on the concept. All three concepts modify the way busses pass through the golden triangle. Ritchie says none of the concepts are mutually exclusive. He says he hopes residents will comment on what they like and dislike about each concept to help the authority merge all three into a single final solution. This would be the first major system overhaul in 30years. None of the plans discus new fare structures.