Final chance to weigh in on bus routes
Tonight is the last chance for public comment directed to the board of the Washington County Transportation Authority as members consider changes to routes, fares and stops.
The authority board is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. in the Washington Transit Center, 50 E. Chestnut St., to finalize proposals drawn up earlier this year by Sheila Gombita, executive director, and Joe Thomas, former director of Washington City Transit who is now director of fixed-route services for Freedom Transit.
Barring any unforeseen developments, those who ride buses to and from Pittsburgh, around Washington, and the Freedom Line from McDonald through Cecil Township in the vicinity of Muse will see changes proposed to take effect later this month and in early April in nine local communities.
On Monday, Gombita explained some refinements that have taken place due to feedback received from riders at public input sessions in February:
• On the Commuter Metro route between Washington and the South Hills Village T station, the lime green buses on the Saturday route will provide more direct access to Walmart at the Trinity Point shopping center. This also will give passengers from Canonsburg-Houston and other areas a direct route to Trinity Point on Saturdays when the Freedom Line/County Line service does not run.
“We wanted to allay concerns about the Freedom Line not going as often to Trinity Point,” Gombita said.
• Service on the East-West Local Line B will begin at 7:15 a.m. Those using the service to get to work at various stores and to attend classes at Penn Commercial Business/Technical School said the previous time of 7:40 a.m. was too late for their schedules.
• On the County Line Route, formerly known as the Freedom Line, the transportation authority will establish a stop near the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum and Washington County fairgrounds in Arden. Riders also will see more bus stop signs posted in other parts of the county. Much of the Washington County Transportation Authority operates with “flag” stops, meaning that someone trying to catch a bus can flag down the driver, who will stop if it is safe to do so.
• For the first time in more than a decade, there will be a fare increase for those using the Americans with Disability Act paratransit service. The fares will be $1.75 through June 30 but will rise to $2.55 beginning July 1 because the service has become more costly to provide.
On the Commuter Metro route and Freedom Line/County Line service, the fare for local service will be $1.50, while county service will be $2.50. The boundary for the two zones, as with Freedom Line/County Line service, will be Racetrack Road.
The transportation authority plans to post information about service and fare changes in buses, at the transportation hub on East Chestnut Street and on its website, www.freedom-transit.org.