Port Authority patrons were taken from one extreme to the other during the past month…. Port Authority patrons were taken from one extreme to the other during the past month.

First, the transit system announced the two-step implementation of the doomsday cuts and fare increases that officials feared would be necessary. The announced plan would have increased fares by 25 cents starting Feb. 1, and reduced system-wide service by 12 percent. This plan was a change from the 75-cent fare increase and complete elimination of weekend and nighttime service proposed last fall.

But on Dec. 21, Gov. Ed Rendell visited Pittsburgh to announce a short-term plan to help alleviate Port Authority’s problems. The governor said he would transfer $4.7 million in highway funds to the transit system, as well as an additional $14.1 million to other transit systems statewide.

This announcement caused Port Authority to delay its plans.

“At the request of the governor, the fare increase that was scheduled has been pushed back to March 1,” Port Authority spokesperson Bob Grove said. “We were able to push it back a month to give elected officials the opportunity to solve this problem. Hopefully, they will be doing so very soon.”

Grove said the cuts are scheduled to take place on March 6, and that they will eliminate a smaller portion of weekend and evening service than originally intended. According to the Port Authority’s Web site, www.ridegold.com, the first round of service cuts will affect eight weekday bus and rail routes after 9 p.m., 25 weekday bus routes, 34 Saturday routes and 23 Sunday routes. An additional 65 weekend routes and 90 weekday routes will be restructured.

“We prefer to be optimistic about this,” Grove said. “It’s very clear this is an issue that is very important to both the House [of Representatives], Senate and governor. The proper people are very tuned to what the situation is in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. They understand the impact the fare increase and service cuts would have on the region economically.”

Rendell has since called for a special session with caucus leaders on Monday to assess the various possibilities available to the House and Senate, according to Chuck Ardo, a spokesperson from the governor’s office.

“The governor feels a permanent funding solution is the only real solution,” Ardo said. “This has been about obtaining a reliable source of funding, so transit systems across the state are not in this situation every year. This is a short-term fix to try to stop these draconian cuts from being deployed.”

Ardo added that Rendell backs a plan suggested by Rep. Dwight Evans, D-Philadelphia. Evans’ plan would allot $110 million through a series of fees with the sole purpose of funding mass transit.

Save Our Transit, a subsidiary of Sustainable Pittsburgh, has supported the many proposed transit bills throughout this process. Various representatives from the organization traveled to Harrisburg Wednesday to lobby their position.

“You just don’t know from day to day what is happening now,” said David Ginns, a transportation specialist for Save Our Transit.

Ginns added that the situation is very unpredictable — a sentiment Grove echoed.

“One of the first steps is to have people thinking about it before you can have a solution,” Grove said. “The board still reserves the right to make changes to the plan, though.”

He added that there has been a strong response from the public concerning the budget crisis.

“It has been positive,” Grove said. “We were able to do what we could and retain what we can. [The public] recognizes we’re trying to both understand needs and save the money we need to save. “

Routes Eliminated effective March 6

Weekdays

5A, 5C, 11F, 25D, 28F, 28G, 31A, 36B, 37A, 46A, 50B, 52, 60P, 63B, 65E, 74B, 75C, 83B, 88A, 501, BM, EBX, OV, SW, T

Weekdays after 9 p.m.

25D, 33F, 36A, 41C, 46A, 75C, 79A, LP

Saturdays

1D, 5A, 6C, 11E, 15A, 21F, 24A, 25D, 31E, 36B/C, 36D, 38C, 41C, 41D, 41G, 46D, 46F, 50B, 51B/D, 53F, 55B, 60A, 60B, 60K, 67H, 75A, 75C, 77B, 77D, 79A, 79B, 91S, LP

Sundays/Holidays

1D, 6C, 11E, 21F, 31E, 35A, 41C, 41D, 41G, 56E, 60M, 60S, 67F, 68D, 74A, 75A, 75C, 81C, 84B, 84C, 89A, 94A, LP