Increased traffic forces CATA to consider changing routes

New routes may be coming down the road by late summer for the Centre Area Transportation Authority.

Development and traffic congestion have made some routes chronically late while riders on the Nittany Mall route clamor for more frequent trips, said Eric Bernier, director of service development. Proposed route changes were presented to the authorities board yesterday in the State College Borough Municipal Building.

"We haven't made any changes in the route system in several years," Bernier said. "There a quite a few problems out there that we need to address."

One of these trouble spots is CATA's line that runs from Kmart, 100 Valley Vista Drive, down North Atherton Street, through campus and to Hills Plaza -- now called the WB. That route would be split in two under the new plan.

CATA General Manager Hugh Mose said traffic on North Atherton Street and Park Avenue holds up those buses, playing havoc with the route.

"We can maintain schedule integrity on the route if we split that into two routes," he said. "That would allow us to be more flexible and efficient -- it just doesn't make sense to run that bus all the way across town."

Bernier said CATA would be able to serve neighborhoods along South Atherton Street and in Boalsburg, which only get occasional service now.

"We wouldn't have to run a 40-foot bus," he said. "That would allow us to get into certain neighborhoods we can't serve now."

The split route would serve South Pugh Street and University Drive. These areas are served by the same bus that goes to the mall. The shorter mall route would also allow for more frequent trips.

"More trips to the mall is by far the most common complaint we have received in the 12 years I have been with CATA," he said.

The board, with representatives from each municipality served by the Centre Line, will have to approve any route changes. Richard Sheeder, State College representative, said he is unsure of how he will vote.

"I think there are a lot of places on the route where we could make some improvements," he said. "The board certainly has a lot of things to look at."

The new routes will need new buses -- eight $299,000 natural gas-powered buses are due any day. The Federal government will pick up 80 percent of the tab with 16.66 percent paid for by the state and 3.33 percent paid locally.

Local revenue will also be on the table as CATA goes into its budget process. Mose said a fare hike was discussed last year but not implemented and he expects it to come up again. He said he doesn't know if it will pass.

"I would not like to speculate about that," Mose said. "But we are the only system in Pennsylvania of our size that still has a fare under a buck."

Sheeder said the board will discuss a hike, but said he would not comment about its chances of becoming a reality.