Transit authority to reopen refurbished North Huntingdon park-and-ride lot

Westmoreland County Transit Authority’s refurbished park-and-ride lot in North Huntingdon will reopen Monday.

The lot, near Carpenter Lane next to a Sheetz location on Route 30, was closed since March for resurfacing and other upgrades. Transit officials said this week the $1.8 million project to pave and line the lot increased capacity to about 330 parking spots, improved lighting and installed a large enclosed shelter for passengers powered by solar panels.

“We literally had a gravel surface with trees growing up. It’s a big improvement,” said authority Executive Director Alan Blahovec.

The authority leased the former Kmart department store lot just over the county line on Route 30 to serve as a temporary park-and-ride location during the construction.

The North Huntingdon lot is the largest of the authority’s park-and-ride sites and serves as the primary hub for riders who commute daily into Pittsburgh. Officials said, when the lot was closed for the refurbishment, 15 buses on two routes stopped weekdays at that location for both the morning and evening commutes.

Just how many riders will use the newly refurbished park and ride location remains to be seen.

Ridership on the authority’s fixed route and commuter bus service has fallen off by more than 70% since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in March. As fewer people traveled into Pittsburgh for work in spring and early summer, the authority cut back service on all of its bus routes. Some service was restored last month, but ridership continues to lag.

“There are still riders here everyday, and they rely on us. These are the people we’re meant to serve. They don’t have any other way to get someplace,” Blahovec said.

Ridership has also fallen on the authority’s Go Westmoreland paratransit system that provides subsidized door-to-door service for disabled passengers. That service has seen a 40% drop in riders, according to officials.