With a three-year plan to restructure routes underway, Butler Transit Authority is looking to prepare a plan for the logistics of implementation and to properly reach out to riders before changes are made.

The authority’s board of directors voted 4-0 at a meeting Tuesday evening, Aug. 11, to approve signing an agreement with architectural firm Whitman, Requardt and Associates to create a plan on how to make the switch to the restructured routes and let the public know about them.

Authority executive director John Paul said the agreement has a projected cost of $130,380, which fell below the $150,000 budget. He said the cost will be covered by a state technical assistance program grant.

The restructuring is based on recommendations from a study conducted through the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. It was approved at the July authority meeting.

“(The agreement) is for implementing the results of the study,” authority solicitor Rebecca Black explained to the board Tuesday.

The authority previously said the restructuring of routes is intended to improve overall efficiency and effectiveness of the authority’s local transit system by improving service reliability, reducing travel times and better matching current travel patterns.

Paul said the firm will be responsible for completing the plan in its entirety by next July. When the plan is finalized, it will be up to the transit authority to actually execute it.

There will be no immediate changes to bus routes or schedules. Implementation of changes is anticipated to begin as early as late 2027, the authority said.