Although to be fair, this is extra special since it’s on Thursday!  The Port Authority released the findings of the Transit Development Plan online on Tuesday, one day after the Post Gazette reported on it.

Currently, PAT operates 187 routes with over 16,000 stops.  The goal of the TDP is to make the system more efficient, easier to use and faster for everyone.

Right now, there are three general options in place: Better Radial, Better Radial Plus and Grid.  None of the three are completely fleshed out, in fact, the closest Park-n-Ride lot to me isn’t even connected by any bus route in any of the new options.  But specifics aren’t there yet, the Port Authority knows this.

At the moment, I don’t have the time to be pouring over all these documents like I want to.  I’ve perused them quickly, but I really want to spend a lot of time reading and understanding the thinking behind each of the three options, as well as some of the other changes, including three different options for new bus loops in the Golden Triangle.  So I’ll take a little more time and get back to you, I promise (granted, it will probably be over a couple different posts, with so much to cover, I don’t want to try to cram it all into just one).

I’ll be revisiting this very soon, but in the meantime, check it out here.  Open houses (I’m guessing forum-like discussions) are planned for June in Oakland and Downtown, and changes are going to start by the end of the year and continue into 2010.