The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission yesterday overwhelmingly approved Gov. Ed Rendell's recommendation to transfer $25.3 million in federal highway funds to keep the Port Authority of Allegheny County out of the red until June 30.

The 47-2 vote came after several public transit riders, advocates and board members criticized state legislators for failing to provide a dedicated funding source for public transit agencies across the state.

Indiana County Commissioner Bernie Smith suggested members of the General Assembly be locked inside the state Capitol in Harrisburg and fed pizza and fast food until they pass legislation that would provide permanent funding for public transit.

"We'll get you some cots to sleep in," he added.

The two "no" votes were from Daniel Vogler, chairman of the Lawrence County commissioners, and Westmoreland County Commissioner Tom Ceraso. Neither was present at the meeting, but both voted by telephone during a conference call hookup that permitted them and others, including Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato in Germany, to participate.

Ceraso likened the shift of highway funds to mass transit to enabling a drug addict.

"It's like having a friend who's a heroin addict and giving them $500 and telling them, 'When you start to jones, come see me again,' " Ceraso said.

Yesterday's vote means the state's two largest mass transit agencies, Port Authority in Allegheny County and SEPTA in Philadelphia, will be able to operate without service cuts or fare increases until the end of the current fiscal year and probably until the end of next year.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission's counterpart in the other end of the state, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, approved the transfer of $42.5 million in federal highway funds to SEPTA on Wednesday.

The votes by the two regional boards that oversee planning for state and federal transportation funds followed last week's announcement by Rendell that the state had an extra $666 million in federal highway and bridge money that had not previously been disclosed. Rendell has recommended that $412 million of that be reserved for public transit agencies until the end of 2006 if the Legislature fails to pass a new public transit funding law.

The announcement of the federal highway funds and Rendell's recommendation that $412 million be used for mass transit caused Port Authority to shelve indefinitely a proposed 25-cent fare increase and 12 percent service reduction.

While the General Assembly has failed so far to devise a bill to provide a permanent source of mass transit funding, Port Authority Chief Executive Officer Paul Skoutelas said he believes it will happen at some point.

"Sooner or later, they are going to have to do what has to be done," he said.