Port Authority Finalizes Another Wave Of Bus Stop Eliminations On 2 Major Routes
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- When the Port Authority makes a decision to end a bus stop, there are two schools of thought among riders about the extra walk.
Aubrey says, "That's good for someone who is physically able to do so."
While Jasmine looks down the street in each direction and says, "I can see why because there's a stop right there and a stop right there."
The decision to stop service on a combined total of 41 stops on the 88-Penn and the 48-Arlington comes as the Port Authority continues a review of all of its stops on all of its routes.
Port Authority Spokesman Adam Brandolph says the focus is achieving consistent reliability.
"If the bus says it's going to be there at 10 after 12, it's there at 10 after 12," Brandolph said.
After listening to the public for the last couple of months about the proposed changes, four stops were spared from elimination.
"Primarily after community feedback and rider feedback," Brandolph said. "Every time we hear from a rider, we go back and reevaluate all of our decisions."
The stops spared from elimination are:
• Penn Ave at Millvale Ave, inbound on the 88-Penn
• Penn Ave at Millvale Ave, outbound on the 88-Penn
• On the 48 Arlington, the stop at Josephine at Salisbury Street Far Side, outbound will be moved to the near side of the intersection.
• The stop at East Carson Street at 25th Street, outbound will remain until a PennDOT project on East Carson Street begins in June.
That means on the 48-Arlington, the number of stops will drop from 112 to 92.
On the 88-Penn, the stops will drop from 96 to 75.
But Brandolph points out, an eliminated stop serves a number of bus routes.
In this case, the eliminated stops on the combined 48/88 routes will actually impact 15 different routes.
Thursday's changes are the second round of cuts.
Last year, stops were eliminated on the 16 and 51 lines and Brandolph says, "We haven't seen any significant reductions in ridership. But reliability, which is key and the main reason we're doing this, it has improved."
The Port Authority will announce the next routes up for review in a few months.
