So what are the results of the Study? The Study Steering Committee, including representatives from Butler County, Cranberry Township, Butler Township City Joint Municipal Transit Agency, PennDOT and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, endorses a two stage implementation plan including a demonstration program to test the service concept which, if successful, would be followed by a long term plan for continued service.
Implementation of a transit service program in the Cranberry area should be done cautiously and incrementally due to the uncertainty of key factors for success, such as the number of people who will actually use the service and state subsidies for existing transit systems. As a result the Steering Committee recommends a two-year demonstration program as a starting point.
The demonstration program will offer commuter service between southern Butler County and the cities of Butler and Pittsburgh and local circulator service around Cranberry. It will also provide an opportunity for transit riders to travel from Zelienople / Harmony, Evans City, Mars and Warrendale to a transit center located in Cranberry, where they can transfer to either the commuter or local service.
There are several steps that must be taken before this demonstration program can begin:
A local program authority, most likely the Butler Township City Joint Municipal Transit Agency, a.k.a. The Bus, must be identified to manage the two year demonstration program.
A minimum of 400 new park-n-ride facility spaces must be located.
The annual operating cost for the demonstration program is estimated to be $1.3 million to support annual ridership estimated to be 350,000 to 400,000. The sources of funding will be primarily the State of Pennsylvania, local governments, and rider fares. After the above steps have been completed then a grant request will be made to the state to secure the funds. The recommended time for starting service is fall 2005 or spring 2006.
Cranberry Transit Demonstration Program
Current plans for the demonstration program include the following transit concepts. The Transit Center mentioned would be centrally located with easy access during the demonstration program with a new structure convenient to the Cranberry Township Municipal Building for the future. To view a map of the demonstration service area, please click here (PDF format, 1954K).
Service Concept |
Description |
Areas Served |
Pittsburgh Express Commuter |
|
US Route 19, I-79/I-279, Downtown, Transit Center |
Zelienople / Harmony / Evans City / Mars Study Area |
|
US Route 19, Zelienople, Harmony, Transit Center, PA Route 528 Park-n-Ride, PA Route 228, Mars-Evans City Road, Transit Center |
Cranberry North-South Local Circulator |
|
Rochester Road , Powell Road, Freedom Road, Commonwealth Drive, Transit Center |
Butler Express Commuter (Optional) |
|
PA Route 68, PA Route 528, US Route 19, Warrendale Park-n-Ride, I-79/I-279, Butler, Downtown, Transit Center |
© 2004 - 2006 Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission
Last Updated: 01/19/06