Pittsburgh Regional Transit is moving ahead with the process to redesign bus routes across Allegheny County.
PRT’s board voted Friday morning to move forward with a public comment period for the final proposal of the Bus Line Refresh. The effort aims to improve service and boost ridership by increasing frequency on key routes and offering better connections.
The comment period will open at 8 a.m. Aug. 17 and last until 5 p.m. Sept. 30. PRT plans to hold four in-person hearings at its offices during the period.
The latest proposal adds 14 routes, eliminates 20, and makes changes to 56 routes on the current system. PRT released a list of changes during a previous committee meeting. Full details on the plan will be posted online by the time the comment period opens.
CEO Katharine Kelleman said the final version includes 60 targeted refinements compared to the previous draft plan.
“These changes restore service in some corridors, increase frequency on key routes, improve connections to major destinations, strengthen reliability, and include a limited number of adjustments,” Kelleman said.
She said the proposal is the result of extensive engagement with riders; more than 20,000 comments have been submitted during the process to date.
“Trust is a really tricky thing with big agencies and public agencies, and that we have so many people who have spoken to us and shared their impact … helps me feel like we are going in the right direction,” Kelleman said.
PRT reports weekday ridership grew more than 8% from May 2025 to May 2026.
Planners will make additional tweaks after the comments are collected, with the final plan expected this November.
Implementing the plan will start in 2027.
Even after the new system is operating, Kelleman said more changes could come later.
“No transit network is ever finished because as soon as you put this network to bed and put it out there, people are going new places and they need different things,” Kelleman said.
She said PRT plans to be flexible and evolving, and she encouraged new feedback during the upcoming public comment period to make sure they “get it right.”