Apr 2, 2019 3 min read

The Washington County Transportation Authority board will meet at 6 p.m. today at the transit center, 50 E. Chestnut St., Washington, to vote on the proposed addition of a Mon Valley bus route.

Alexandra Sakalik, outreach and marketing coordinator for Freedom Transit, said with the addition of Peters Township, Finleyville and Monongahela to what will be known as “County Line B,” four fixed-route bus runs between McDonald and Washington via Canonsburg will be eliminated.

The authority is accepting public comment, questions and suggestions online at info@freedom-transit.org, by calling 724-229-2502 and at the meeting today in the transit hub’s conference room.

The advent of a Mon Valley route and a connection with the Mid-Mon Valley Transit agency came to light last summer as part of a five-year plan for the Washington County Transportation Authority.

The proposed Mon Valley route will result in buses running from Washington and Canonsburg via The Meadows Racetrack and Casino, Tanger Outlets and Donaldson’s Crossroads on Route 19 to Valley Brook Road through Venetia and Finleyville on four trips on Monday through Friday beginning Monday, April 29.

What will be known as the County Line B route will go from Finleyville to the Mon-Fayette Expressway interchange north of Gastonville.

Designated stops in Monongahela will be along Route 837 at the gazebo at the Monongahela Manor high-rise apartment building, 401 W. Main St., and the Sheetz convenience store, 111 E. Main St.

Estimated travel time from Monongahela to Washington and vice versa will be one hour, 20 minutes.

From Monongahela, riders will be able to transfer to Mid-Mon Valley Transit’s Charleroi or Belle Vernon bus, from which they can transfer to a Cal Commuter line to California and its university.

The fare for the County Line B route will be $2.50.

“We’re working to establish a transfer rate so someone who is using both agencies won’t have to pay the full rate twice,” Sakalik said.

When the likelihood of Mon Valley service was announced last August, with it came with the probability that there would be cuts to the number of Washington-McDonald trips.

The seven trips between these two towns and Muse, Cecil Township, will be reduced to three from the previous seven. This route will, beginning April 29, be known as “County Line A.”

“We are adding Walmart back to some Canonsburg and McDonald runs,” Sakalik said of the Trinity Point big-box store. Also added will be Washington Health System’s Landings Drive building along Route 19.

The route to Pittsburgh from the Washington or Canonsburg areas will not be affected by the addition or elimination of County Line bus runs.

“There are no changes to Pittsburgh Metro service at this time,” Sakalik said.

The Metro line runs between Washington and Pittsburgh via Canonsburg and Southpointe on weekdays and Washington to the South Hills Village “T” station on Saturdays.