Soon those trips will be cut short, with the "T" trips instead ending at Overbrook Junction, located one stop beyond Castle Shannon's Willow Avenue station. Passengers will be able to continue their trips to South Hills Village by making transfers at Willow or Overbrook Junction.

All Port Authority bus and Light Rail routes are about to be changed. The authority's board of directors approved a plan Oct. 23 involving changes that will be phased in within the next two years. The reasoning behind it is that by cutting duplication and underused routes, service will become simplified and more efficient and the hours of operation for some routes will be increased.

Changes are posted on the authority's Web site at tdp.portauthority.org

The board also approved fare increases. Zone One fare stays at $2, but Zone Two fare increases from $2.60 to $2.75. The cost of transfers increases from 50 to 75 cents. Zone One Weekly Pass still costs $2 but the cost of a Zone Two Pass increases from $24 to $27.50. The Zone One Monthly Pass now will now cost $80, raised from $75, and the Zone Two Pass will now cost $105, raised from $90. The T-System Rush Hour Surcharge (if cash is paid) is hiked from 50 to 75 cents for both Zones 1 and 2.

"The changes were made to the routes to squeeze more out of what we have, to basically reallocate resources," Jim Ritchie, Port Authority, director of public relations, said. By shortening and eliminating some routes the buses can be moved elsewhere, he said.

"The public comment period (on the changes) is over. We are not accepting any more public comments," Ritchie said. "We have already heard thousands of comments. Riders with questions about routes can contact Customer Service."

The former 42C Castle Shannon via Beechview and the former 42S South Hills Village via Beechview will be replaced by and renamed The Red Line.

The former 47 Library via Overbrook and the former 47S South Hills Village via Overbrook will be replaced by and renamed The Blue Line.

To simplify service, Overbrook line trips would alternate between Library and South Hills Village throughout the day.

Service to low ridership stops close to other stops will not be included in the new routes for the Red Line and Blue Line. The location of stops for all routes has not yet been determined.

Many of the twists and turns along the route for the former 41B Bower Hill, to be renamed 41 Bower Hill, will be eliminated. There are 17 "variants" on the trip, including visits to Asbury Heights, Willet Terrace and Berkshire Village, Ritchie said. "Those variants serve few people. The new route will only have two variants."

Routes to be discontinued include: 29E Millers Run (in Bridgeville), 44F Terrace (in Mt. Lebanon), 44E Inglewood (in Mt. Lebanon) and 44D Jefferson (in Castle Shannon). The reasons Port Authority gave is that ridership is extremely low and the cost per passenger is unacceptably high.

The 44U Mt. Lebanon Road-Oakland would be renamed 42 Mt. Lebanon-Oakland. The new route would offer more frequent service during peak traffic hours.

The 35 Sunset Hills would replace the 41G Dormont and would provide traffic during peak periods between Whitehall and either the Dormont Junction, along the Beechview line, or the Memorial Hall station, which is along the Overbrook line. "Ridership south of Dormont on the 41G route is low," said Ritchie when explaining why the route would no longer go from Dormont Junction to downtown.

The new route 31 Bridgeville will replace the 31D Bridgeville-Washington Avenue and 31E Bridgeville-Main Street. To better reflect ridership patterns service would be improved between Bridgeville and downtown Pittsburgh, but outer end service south of Millers Run Road would be discontinued.