Snohomish County invited to help redesign bus network for arrival of light rail
Snohomish County invited to help redesign bus network for arrival of light rail
Snohomish County, Wash. – Starting today, Community Transit is asking for help from people who live and travel in Snohomish County in redesigning local bus service to better serve the county when light rail reaches Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Shoreline in 2024.
The online survey, available in five languages will be open through December 17:
- English: transit2024.participate.online
- Spanish: transit2024-spanish.participate.online
- Korean: transit2024-korean.participate.online
- Chinese: transit2024-chinese.participate.online
- Russian: transit2024-russian.participate.online
“This is a big opportunity. We are embarking on a major redesign of our bus network to meet the demands of our fast-growing county,” said Community Transit CEO Ric Ilgenfritz. “In 2024, we will provide easy and frequent access to new light rail stations as well as expand bus service within Snohomish County. This will give people new options for using public transit to travel all across the county and beyond.”
In 2024, when Sound Transit light rail arrives in Snohomish County, Community Transit will no longer run buses to Northgate or downtown Seattle because light rail will provide more capacity and faster trips. This creates an opportunity for the agency to look at new bus routes and increased frequency on existing routes within the county. A third bus rapid transit line between Edmonds College and Mill Creek, the Swift Orange Line, will connect to light rail and add capacity to the county transportation network.
Community Transit is asking for public input on these topics:
- Areas where more bus service should be added,
- Which days and times need additional bus service, and
- Key barriers to transit use.
Community Transit will use this feedback to design a detailed bus network and will make a proposed plan available for public comment in spring 2022. Changes to service will be made in phases in 2023-24.
As part of carrying out the agency’s core value of Equity and Inclusion, a new equity index will be used to guide development of the future bus network. This index will consider populations with very low incomes, communities of color, foreign-born residents, limited English-speaking households, and people living with a disability.
“Equitable access to public transportation is incredibly important,” added Ilgenfritz. “We are combining county data with feedback we receive through this process to develop an improved network that will help us better meet the transportation needs of all communities in our county.”
Over the next five weeks, Community Transit staff will be at transit stops, partnering with community groups, and hosting virtual meetings to encourage survey feedback. Follow Community Transit’s Facebook page (facebook.com/communitytransit), Twitter (@MyCommTrans) and Instagram (@CommunityTransit) to get updates on outreach events.
Community Transit is responsible for providing bus and paratransit service, vanpool and alternative commute options in Snohomish County. The agency is building a network of Swift bus rapid transit lines with the Swift Blue Line along Highway 99, the Swift Green Line between Canyon Park/Bothell and Boeing/Paine Field, and the Swift Orange Line coming to Mill Creek and Lynnwood in 2024.