Swift Green Line Gets the Green Light
With the unanimous approval
of three actions at the April 6 Board of Directors' Meeting, Community Transit’s Swift Green Line project took a
significant leap from planning phase to construction phase. The Swift Green line is Community Transit's second Bus Rapid Transit route, a 12.5-mile route between Paine Field/Boeing and Canyon Park/Bothell.
Of note is contract
approval for Interwest Construction to begin building the Seaway Transit Center,
which will serve as the northern most terminal for the Swift Green Line scheduled to open in 2019. Seaway will also be a major hub
for routes serving the Paine Field/Boeing for Community Transit, Everett
Transit and King County Metro.
“This is where we
start to turn dirt on the project and it's public
facing,” said Emmett Heath, CEO. “Cyclone fencing will surround constructions
sites, signs will go up and construction will start. People will see this
and they will know that the investment in this line has begun.”
When completed, the Swift
Green Line will create the first network of high capacity transit lines in Snohomish
County when it crosses the Swift Blue Line at Hwy 99. An estimated 100 thousand people work in the corridor where the Swift
Green Line will serve, presenting a significant opportunity to take single
occupancy vehicle trips off the streets and offering a fast, convenient one-seat
ride to worksite destinations.
“It will underlie all the rest of our local and regional
service and make it easier for people to have the connection to get them where
they want to go,” said Heath.
Heath also took the opportunity to recognize support for the project by local, state and federal government officials and
organizations, such as the FTA, WSDOT, Snohomish County and all the
jurisdictions up and down the Swift Green Line corridor.
As for the funding plan for the Swift Green Line, Heath says
the plan is “rock solid.”
"We are very excited to deliver the next phase of the build out of our Swift network," Heath said.
Trade UP! Event Shows Snohomish County Teens Career Options Behind the Wheel
Trade UP! is a one-day, interactive event that gives high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with
various trade jobs in Snohomish County. From driving a Community Transit bus or a UPS vehicle, to pouring concrete and operating
a fire hose, students have the chance to learn about different jobs from the professionals who do them.
On April 4 in Arlington Community Transit employees from transportation, maintenance, human resources, and marketing spent the
day with Snohomish County Teens to help them learn about jobs and to answer questions.
A second Trade UP! event is scheduled to take place in Marysville, April 27.
Pictured: (Top) Community Transit employees get ready to give students a tour of the bus. (Bottom) Students check out the engine of an articulated bus.
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 Oso Remembrance Ride
On Sunday, March 19, 127 cyclists rode 28 miles from Arlington to Darrington on State Route 530 for the Oso Remembrance Ride to commemorate the third anniversary of the Oso Slide and to remember its victims. This event was held in conjunction with the Celebration of Strong Communities event hosted by the cities of Arlington and Darrington.
Community Transit provided three buses to help transport cyclists to the Darrington Community Center after completing their ride.
Pictured: (Top) Coach Operators Nick, Bill and Inder pose with Jan Schuette, Community Transit Board Member and council member for City of Arlington. (Bottom) Oso cyclists load one of the buses for their return trip home.
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 20th Annual Choice Connections Awards Honors Snohomish County Commuters
On March 30, 2017, residents and companies throughout Snohomish County and the city of Bothell who work to reduce traffic congestion and encourage transportation choices such as riding the bus, sharing a ride, bicycling or walking were honored at Community Transit's 20th Annual Choice Connections Awards.
Community Transit receives funding to promote smart transportation options through innovative transportation programs. Choice Connections helps employers develop transportation programs at their worksites. The Curb the Congestion program promotes transportation options to residents and employees on seven of Snohomish County’s most congested corridors. In 2016, these programs prevented 645,306 drive-alone trips on our roads, and 12.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide from the air we breathe.
Read about our 2017 Winners
Pictured: (Top) CEO Emmett Heath poses with Jessica Bentem, Curb the Congestion Champion of the Year. (Middle) Emmett poses with Chris Snow, Smart Commuter of the Year.
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 Virtual Public Meeting, Social Media and Public Forums Help Gather Public Comments for Service Expansion Proposal
Community Transit proposes to add 21,000 service hours, or about six percent more bus service in the next year. Read all about the proposal here.
Public forums were held all throughout Snohomish County at more than 20 sites, including libraries, colleges, workplaces, park & rides, senior centers, etc. A public meeting was also held at Everett Station. Comments collected via email and social media have resulted in more than a hundred comments so far during the public comment period. The agency also held its first Virtual Public Meeting which allowed customers to listen to a presentation by planners, ask questions, and comment on the proposal.
Community Transit is taking public comment on the proposal through April 7. If approved by the Board of Directors in May, the new service will be implemented in September 2017 and March 2018.
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If you have any questions, please email TheRouteAhead@commtrans.org.
 Emmett Heath, CEO
Community Transit
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