 U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen visited Community Transit's new Seaway Transit Center construction site to talk with Community Transit CEO Emmett heath about federal funding for transportation projects.
Congressman Rick Larsen Discusses Federal
Infrastructure Funding at Seaway Transit Center Construction Site
U.S.
Rep. Rick Larsen from Washington’s 2nd Congressional District
visited Community Transit’s new Seaway Transit Center construction site today
to talk with Community Transit CEO Emmett Heath about federal funding for
transportation projects. The Seaway site by Boeing-Everett will be the northern
terminal for the Swift Green Line bus
rapid transit project.
Roughly
two-thirds of the Swift Green Line
project will be paid for by federal funds from the competitive Small Starts
program. The Trump Administration has proposed to eliminate that and other transportation
capital grant programs.
Larsen
said Congress is taking up the latest infrastructure funding package for the
FY2019 budget and intends to continue funding for transportation projects,
although the levels may change.
Community Transit Proposes 12 Percent Service
Expansion
Community
Transit proposes to invest $12 million in new bus service in the next year. The
proposal would restore 10-minute weekday service to the Swift Blue Line this fall and launch the new Swift Green Line between Bothell and Paine Field next spring.
Continuing
its commitment to expand service following a 2015 voter-approved transit
expansion measure, Community Transit proposes to increase service by 12
percent, or 49,000 annual service hours. This expansion is projected to
increase bus ridership by 750,000 trips in its first year and up to 1.8 million
trips, or a 20 percent increase, by 2023.
The
bulk of the service increase will be the launch of the Swift Green Line, Snohomish County’s second bus rapid transit line,
in spring 2019. Other changes would improve access to existing routes, add more
commuter trips and improve transit connections.
Details
are online at www.communitytransit.org/proposal.
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Proposed 25-Cent Fare Increase Accompanies New
Fare Policy
The
agency is also proposing a 25-cent fare increase for local bus, DART
paratransit and vanpool service, and a simplification of its commuter fares
effective Oct. 1. The agency last increased fares in 2014.
The
agency proposes a 25-cent increase for local bus and DART paratransit fares:
- Adult
- $2.50, Youth - $2 and Reduced fare - $1.25.
The
proposal would also simplify commuter fares for routes to Seattle/UW,
designating one fare for all commuter routes:
- Adult
- $4.25, Youth - $3 and Reduced fare - $2.
Vanpool
rates would be increased an average of 3 percent, or about $14/month, based on
size of van and length of trip.
A
new fare policy will also take effect Oct. 1 that charges commuter fares for
all riders of commuter routes (400 & 800 routes), regardless of where they
board or de-board. This policy was adopted by the Community Transit Board of
Directors last fall.
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Public Comment and Outreach on Proposals
Public comment on the service expansion and fare change proposals will be taken through April 6.
A public hearing before the Board of Directors is scheduled at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 5 at 7100 Hardeson Road in Everett, accessible by Community Transit Route 105 and Everett Transit Route 8.
Public comment can be sent to:
Two in-person community meetings will be held:
- March 20, 5-7 p.m. at Mill Creek City Hall
- March 22, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Everett Station
Two Community Transit Live virtual community meetings will be held:
Visit www.communitytransit.org/proposal for more information.
Community Transit in the News
Community
Transit’s innovative programs that brought Double Tall buses to the region, Swift bus rapid transit and a
nationally-recognized social media program have earned the agency a cover story
in an upcoming issue of Mass Transit magazine.
The
magazine’s editor will fly to Everett this month to interview CEO Emmett Heath
and tour the facilities, including an innovative Employee Maintenance Center
that provides onsite physical therapy to help reduce long-term injuries.
Local TV station KCPQ also interviewed Strategic
Planning Unit Manager Roland Behee about north county service for an upcoming
story on population and job growth in the Marysville area. Look for that story
later this month.
Pictured above: Local TV station KCPQ interviewed Strategic Planning Unit Manager Roland Behee at the Cedar & Grove Park & Ride.
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If you have any questions, please email TheRouteAhead@commtrans.org.
 Emmett Heath, CEO
Community Transit
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