Community Transit

Major Service Changes Start in June

The June 2010 service changes affect every bus route in Community Transit's system and most riders will be impacted in some way. The plan  approved by the board considered the substantial public input we received as well as the necessity to close a $5 million gap in the agency’s budget this year (and $11 million in 2011).

Key elements:

• No service on Sundays or major holidays
• Local and DART fare increase of 25-cents in all fare categories.
• Core local service is maintained six days a week.
• Reduced early and late night trips on local service.
• Commuter service focused on park & rides rather than serving neighborhoods.
• Customer Information phones and RideStore will operate Monday through Friday only.

Route-by-route information on the service changes is provided below. Full schedules and updated route maps are posted on the website here. Use the Trip Planner to see what routes serve your destinations.

Community Transit staff have been out at park & rides and on board buses for the six weeks prior to the service changes to make sure people are aware of the impacts and to help people prepare.

Sunday and Holiday Service Suspension

Suspending all Sunday service – including DART paratransit and Swift – will impact many riders, but it saves many more riders from worse cuts. On an average weekday, about 35,000 passengers ride our buses; Sundays average about 8,700 boardings.

The Sunday service suspension also applies to six major holidays on which a Sunday schedule is normally operated: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

To try to help people impacted by the Sunday service suspension, the Community Transit Board of Directors approved creation of a $50,000 fund to facilitate transportation service on Sundays for those most in need (details to be worked out).

Community Transit is also conducting its Van GO grant program to help offset some of the impacts of the proposed cuts to bus and paratransit service.

Restoration of Sunday and holiday service is our first priority when more funding for bus operations becomes available, either through a rebounded economy or higher levels of state and/or federal funding.

Back to top

DART Paratransit

Dial-A-Ride Transportation (DART) is a paratransit service that provides transportation for people whose disability or condition prevents them from using Community Transit regular route buses. Because DART paratransit service operates within 3/4 of a mile of Community Transit local, non-commuter bus routes, during the hours that the bus route runs in that area, DART service will be impacted by these service changes.

The biggest change will be the suspension of Sunday and major holiday service. DART also will  not offer early or late night trips where such service on local buses is cut. Very few registered DART customers live in neighborhoods where both bus and DART service will be cut completely (less than 1 percent).

Van GO is a novel vehicle award program created by Community Transit to improve transportation in the community. This year’s program is timed to help offset some of the impacts of the proposed cuts to Community Transit bus and paratransit service. Three vehicles with wheelchair lifts will be granted to non-profits as part of the program, as well as nine other vans.

Senior Services of Snohomish County offers a Transportation Assistance Program for people who live outside the DART service area. TAP operates Monday through Friday and connects people to services, health care, senior centers, shopping, recreation and other transportation providers.

Boeing

Community Transit's valued service to the county's largest employer will remain, but at a reduced level. See Boeing service map. With a change to Community Transit’s operating hours to save money, early shifts cannot be served. Buses will serve a new stop at the Boeing north perimeter road & Seaway, accessible to the general public (such as Fluke or PUD employees), rather than the current Gate-77 stop. All buses will serve the entire plant, not just the northern loop. See Boeing plant map.

Vanpool is a convenient alternative for Boeing employees. About 80 Community Transit vans already serve the Everett plant. Current bus riders may consider joining or forming a Community Transit vanpool. The Boeing Public Transportation Incentive will cover up to $30 vanpool fare each month.

Route 207

• Route will be eliminated.
• Route 227 will serve the Marysville Ash Avenue Park & Ride with two roundtrips daily.
• Route 247 will continue to serve the I-5 freeway stop at 116th Street.
• Travel Options: Vanpools and carpools.
  

Route 227

• Two roundtrips will serve shift starts at 6 and 7 a.m.
• Route will continue to begin at the Arlington Park & Ride, but service to downtown Arlington and residential areas is eliminated.
• Smokey Point Community Church Park & Pool will be served via more direct routing.
• Buses will serve the Marysville Ash Avenue Park & Ride.
• See Boeing plant map

Route 247

• Two roundtrips a day will serve Boeing shift starts at 6 and 7 a.m.
• Routing remains the same, serving Stanwood I and  Stanwood II Park & Rides.
• Buses will continue to serve the I-5 flyer stop at 116th Street.
• See Boeing plant map - Route 247 will serve all stops shown.

Route 277

• One roundtrip is elminated. No service for the 5:30 a.m. shift.
• First morning and afternoon trip will begin/end at Monroe Park & Ride.
• Second trip of the morning will begin in Gold Bar and provide transfers to the first Route 424 trip out of Monroe.
• The second afternoon trip will end at Gold Bar.
• Travel Options: Vanpools and carpools
  

Route 280

• Morning service to Boeing will begin and end at Lake Stevens Transit Center. Early morning service from Granite Falls is eliminated.
• Two roundtrips to Boeing a day will continue to be provided.
• Travel Options: Vanpools and carpools
• See Boeing plant map

Back to top

Bothell/Canyon Park

Bothell-area routes have been streamlined to provide more direct service along roads that are designated for transit (Highway 527 and 228th Street) in our long range plans. Revised Routes 105 and 120 will work together to maintain service and frequencies to key destinations like downtown Bothell, Canyon Park, Country Village , Lynnwood Transit Center and UW Bothell. Local service in some areas willl be eliminated, but limited peak hour service is maintained.

See map of Bothell-area service.

Route 105

• Revised Route 105 will operate between Mariner Park & Ride and UW Bothell at the same frequency as the current combination of Routes 105/106 - every 20-30 minutes Monday through Saturday.
• New Route 105 routing serves downtown Bothell via NE 185th Street, the city’s preferred transit corridor.
• New Route 105 routing eliminates loop through Canyon Park and all-day service to North Creek Business Park and residential areas of northeast Bothell
• Canyon Park businesses are served by a reconfigured Route 120.
• Commuters can also consider forming or joining carpools or vanpools
  

Route 106

• Route 106 will be limited to two roundtrips each weekday between Canyon Park and UW Bothell. Route 106 will not operate north of Canyon Park.
• Two trips in the mornings southbound from Canyon Park to UW Bothell via current routing near the North Creek Business Park.
• Ttwo trips in the afternoons northbound from UW Bothell to Canyon Park.
• Riders can also reach North Creek via King County Metro Transit service
  

Route 120

• Revised Route 120 will operate at the same frequency as the current combination of Routes 120/121 between Lynnwood Transit Center and Canyon Park Park & Ride
• Route 120 will serve 228th Street corridor between 4th Avenue W. and 29th Drive S.E.
• All-day routing south of 228th Street will be eliminated.
• Travel Options: Revised Route 105 will serve Highway 527 and Country Village.
• Travel Options: To access downtown Bothell or UW Bothell at most times, passengers will need to transfer to Route 105 or Sound Transit service at Canyon Park Park & Ride.
• Weekdays: Eliminate last trip to Lynnwood.
• Saturdays: Eliminate last trip to Bothell.

Route 121

• Route 121 will be limited to two roundtrips each weekday between Canyon Park and UW Bothell.
• Two trips in the mornings northbound from UW Bothell to Canyon Park and two trips in the afternoons southbound from Canyon Park to UW Bothell.
• Routing south of Canyon Park is the same as current route, along 23rd Avenue SE/104th Ave NE.

See map of Bothell-area service. Back to top

North and East Snohomish County

Service frequencies to destinations like Frontier Village, Quil Ceda Village, Smokey Point and along State Avenue in Marysville are maintained. Generally, routing in North Snohomish County is unchanged, except for the elimination of some routing loops, early morning service and duplicate service where it now exists.

Overall service and routing in East Snohomish County is maintained. There are some service reductions to the towns farthest away from Everett on select trips.

Some early morning and late night service is reduced.

Route 200

• Route 200 will be eliminated, with all trips converted to Route 202. Community Transit will no longer serve north Broadway in Everett.
• Travel Options: Everett Transit Route 79 Express offers service between Marysville and Everett southbound in the mornings and northbound in the afternoons. Route 79 serves Smokey Point Boulevard, State Avenue, Everett Community College, Providence Hospital and Naval Station Everett. See map on Everett Transit website.
• Travel Options: Customers may also transfer to Everett Transit Routes 7 and 9 at Everett Station for service to north Broadway
• See map

Routes 201/202

• Weekdays: Eliminate first morning trip to Lynnwood (a Route 200 trip). First two southbound trips will start at State & Grove in Marysville rather than at Smokey Point.
• Weekdays: First northbound Route 202 trip from Everett to Smokey Point will be eliminated.

Route 207

See Boeing section

Route 221

• Loop west of Highway 9 on Market Place and 91st Avenue will be eliminated
• Travel Options: Riders can transfer to Route 280 at Lake Stevens Transit Center to access the Market Place area
• Weekdays: Eliminate first trip of the day to Quil Ceda and last two trips of the night to Lake Stevens
• Saturdays: Selected trips shifted up to 25 minutes earlier or later for operating efficiencies

Route 222

• Saturdays: Eliminate last trip to Tulalip and last trip to Marysville

Route 227

See Boeing section

Route 230

• Weekdays: Begin first trip to Darrington at Broadway and Gilman in Arlington. Eliminate a morning and afternoon trip to Darrington and a morning and afternoon trip to Arlington.
• Saturdays: Number of trips will remain the same, but schedule will shift to reduce operating costs

Route 240

• Weekdays: Eliminate first trip to Arlington. Last two trips from Stanwood and Arlington will end at Smokey Point
• Saturdays: Last trips from Stanwood and Arlington will end at Smokey Point

Route 270

Weekdays: First morning trip to Everett will begin at Sultan Park & Ride rather than Gold Bar

Route 271

Weekdays: Last eastbound trip will end at Sultan Park & Ride rather than Gold Bar

Route 275

No change

Route 277

See Boeing section

Route 280

• Weekdays: First two morning trips to Everett (and Boeing) will start at Lake Stevens Transit Center rather than Granite Falls
• See Boeing section

Back to top

South Snohomish County

Frequent service to places like Alderwood mall, Edmonds Community College and the Edmonds and Mukilteo ferries is maintained. Several routes in South Snohomish County have been streamlined to become more efficient. This means the elimination of some routing loops and duplicate service where it now exists.

Maps:

• Edmonds Area Service
• Lynnwood Area Service
• Mountlake Terrace Area Service

Swift

No changes, except for Sunday service suspension.

Route 101

• Weekdays: Service reduced from a bus every 20 minutes to a bus every 30 minutes.
• Weekdays: An early morning northbound trip would be added to provide service to local stops, supplementing early Swift service
• Weekdays: Eliminate first southbound trip of the day, last two northbound trips and last southbound trip of the night

Route 110

No changes

Route 112

Weekdays: Eliminate last trips of the night to Lynnwood and Edmonds Community College

Route 113

Weekdays: Eliminate last trips of the night to Lynnwood and Mukilteo

Route 115

• Route will begin and end at Edmonds Community College. Discontinue routing between Edmonds Community College and downtown Edmonds
• Travel Options: Service between downtown Edmonds and Lynnwood Transit Center is still  provided by Routes 110, 116 and 131
• Weekdays: Eliminate last trip to Mill Creek
• Saturdays: Eliminate Route 115 Shuttle (six early morning and evening trips)
• Travel Options: Mill Creek area service still provided by Routes 105, 115 and 116.

Route 115 Shuttle

• All Saturday shuttle trips (in the early morning and evening) are eliminated. Regular Route 115 service will still be provided throughout the day.

Route 116

• Eliminate last trip to Edmonds

Route 118

• Revised route will operate only between Aurora Village and Lynnwood Transit Center
• Service to Alderwood and Highway 99 connections to Swift and Route 101 will be provided by a revised Route 119. Route 119 would also provide service between Highway 99 and Ash Way Park & Ride
• Travel Options: Service on Highway 99 provided by Swift and Route 101
• Weekdays: Eliminate last trips to Lynnwood and Aurora Village
• See map

Route 119

• Route is modified to include parts of Route 118 proposed for elimination
• Extend service on 148th Street, between 52nd Avenue and Ash Way Park & Ride
• Eliminate loop to Picnic Point Road now served by southbound trips only
• The revised route will provide east-west connections to Swift stations at 148th and 176th streets and a new northern terminus at Ash Way Park & Ride
• Eliminate routing on 44th Avenue between 176th and 188th streets
• Maintain service to Alderwood mall area on 33rd Avenue W.
• Saturdays: Eliminate last trip of the night to Meadowdale
• See map

Route 130

• Weekdays: Eliminate first morning trip to Lynnwood

Route 131

• Weekdays: Eliminate first morning trip to Aurora Village

Route 190

• Eliminate loop through Harbour Pointe to provide more direct service to Edmonds Community College. Route will stay on Highway 525 (Mukilteo Speedway) between Front Street and Beverly Park Road
• Travel Options: Route 113 provides all-day service through Harbour Pointe every 20-30 minutes

Back to top

Downtown Seattle Service

Frequent peak-hour service between Snohomish County and downtown Seattle is maintained, though service is consolidated. While there are service reductions, this plan helps to:

• Preserve peak-hour frequencies
• Preserve room for current riders
• Concentrate service on the I-5 corridor
• Eliminate duplicate service
• Reduce or eliminate neighborhood collector service

This service change also provides more intracounty service options from North Snohomish County to South Snohomish County.

In addition, several route changes will give commuters leaving downtown Seattle more opportunities to catch different buses to get to their final destinations via South Snohomish County.

Some commuters losing neighborhood access to commuter service may consider the option of carpooling or vanpooling – either to the closest park & ride or all the way to their destination.

Routes 401/402

• Service change eliminates six morning and six evening trips on Routes 401/402, for a total of 12 eliminated trips
• All 32 trips on Routes 421, 422 and 425 will stop at Lynnwood Transit Center, resulting in a net gain of 20 trips between Lynnwood Transit Center and Seattle
• Lynnwood commuters will have a new Seattle routing option (Routes 421 and 425 enter Seattle from the south; Routes 401/402 and 422 from the north)

Route 404/405

• All trips will begin and end at Edmonds Park & Ride as Route 405. Route 404 will be eliminated
• Travel Options: Service between Edmonds ferry and Seattle will be provided by revised Route 416 and by Sounder commuter rail
• Travel Options: Customers can access service at the Edmonds Park & Ride via local Routes 110 and 131 from downtown Edmonds as well as via Swift service on Highway 99
• Eliminate one morning trip to Seattle and three northbound trips in the afternoon
• Map of Edmonds Service

Route 406

• Route will begin and end at Edmonds Park & Ride. Service to Seaview neighborhood will  be eliminated
• Eliminate first southbound trip
• Travel Options: Seaview customers may access commuter service at Lynnwood Transit Center or downtown Edmonds via Route 116
• Map of Edmonds Service
  

Route 408

• Route will begin and end at Mountlake Terrace Transit Center
• Travel Options: Routes 130 and 871 will continue to serve 56th Avenue and connect to Route 408 at the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center
• Travel Options: With the addition of revised Route 477 service, Mountlake Terrace Transit Center commuters will have a new Seattle routing option (Route 408 enters from the north; Route 477 enters from the south)
• Map of Mountlake Terrace Service

Routes 410/411

• Route 411 will be eliminated
• Travel Options: Route 101 will be able to connect former Route 411 passengers to Route 410 service at Mariner Park & Ride
• Travel Options: Customers close to Highway 99 may also access Swift service to connect to other Seattle service
• One southbound trip will be added
• See map

Route 412

• Seven roundtrips will continue to serve the full loop around Silver Firs (current routing).
• Three roundtrips will begin and end at McCollum Park.
  

Route 413

No change

Route 414

• Rather than eliminating the route, six trips will be maintained - two southbound in the late morning, two northbound in the early afternoon and two northbound in the evening.
• Travel Options: Sound Transit provides frequent, all-day bus service between Seattle and Snohomish County, serving park & rides at Lynnwood, Ash Way, South Everett and Everett Station. Transfers to local Community Transit service can connect Sound Transit passengers to additional park & rides
• Travel Options: King County Metro Route 347 also provides all-day service to Mountlake Terrace from Northgate.

Route 415

• Route will begin and end at 35th Avenue & 148th Street.
• Service on 148th Street, Admiralty and Lincoln ways will be eliminated
• See map

Route 416

• Route will begin at ferry dock. Routing on Main, 9th, Caspers and 3rd will be eliminated
• Two morning and two afternoon trips will be eliminated
• Travel Options: Local service will still be provided on all streets where Route 416 service is discontinued except 9th Avenue. Routes 110 and 116 will connect to revised Route 416 in downtown Edmonds.
• Map of Edmonds Service.

Route 417

No change

Route 421

• Route will begin at Cedar and Grove Park & Ride. Loop east of State Avenue will be eliminated. See map.
• Travel Options: Local service connections to Routes 201, 202, 221 and 222 will be available at State Avenue and I-5 flyer stop.
• See below for new south county stop.

Routes 421, 422, 425

• A stop at Lynnwood Transit Center will be added to all trips. The deviation off I-5 will add about 5 minutes travel time to each trip.
• Allows service levels from Marysville, Stanwood and Lake Stevens to remain the same while making use of available seats.
• See map.

Route 424

• Routing to/from Snohomish and Monroe park & rides remains unchanged.
• The added seats from the use of articulated coaches in the afternoon will allow for the elimination of one northbound trip in the afternoons.

Route 435

No change

Route 477

• Routing through Mountlake Terrace will be streamlined, but buses will continue to serve Brier.
• Route will operate on 228th Street, 44th Avenue (south of 228th), and 236th Street to the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center.
• Two southbound trips and one northbound trip will be eliminated.
• No service to Bethesda Lutheran Church or Seattle Meditation Center park & pools.
• Travel Options: Local Routes 112 and 130 will continue to serve Mountlake Terrace via 56th Avenue and provide connections to commuter service
• Travel Options: Along with revised Route 408 service, Mountlake Terrace Transit Center commuters will have a new Seattle routing option (Route 408 enters from the north; Route 477 enters from the south)
  
• Map of Mountlake Terrace Service

Back to top

University District

Frequent peak-hour service between Snohomish County and the University District in Seattle would be maintained with this proposal. While there would be service reductions, this proposal helps to:

• Preserve peak-hour frequencies
• Preserve room for current riders
• Concentrate service on the I-5 corridor
• Eliminate duplicate service
• Reduce or eliminate neighborhood collector service

Some commuters losing neighborhood access to commuter service may consider the option of carpooling or vanpooling – either to the closest park & ride or all the way to their destinations.

Route 810

• Reduce schedule to offer two southbound trips in the high-ridership morning hours and two northbound trips in the evening. Trips would be scheduled to extend service to and from the University beyond typical peak hours
• Travel Options: Sound Transit Regional Express Routes 510 and 511 provide substantial off-peak service to the University District (flyer stop at I-5 & 45th Street)
• Proposal would eliminate service to Edmonds Park &Ride
• Travel Options: Route 110 connects Edmonds with Lynnwood Transit Center
• See map

Route 812

• All Route 812 trips will be converted to Route 860 trips, serving both Mariner and McCollum park & rides.
• Route 812 will be eliminated.

Route 821

• Add a stop at Lynnwood Transit Center to make more efficient use of available seats to the University District.
• Stop would add approximately 5 minutes travel time to each trip

Routes 851/870/871

• Proposal would consolidate service into revised Route 871 serving Edmonds Park & Ride, Mountlake Terrace and University District. Route 870 service to downtown Edmonds would be eliminated
• Route 851 trips would be converted to Route 871 service and schedule revised
• Travel Options: Route 110 connects Edmonds ferry with the Edmonds Park & Ride and Route 871. Route 131 also serves downtown Edmonds, Main Street and 212th Street SW. Edmonds commuters may also take bus or train service to downtown Seattle and then King County Metro Transit to the University District. South Snohomish County and North King County residents may choose to take Swift from Aurora Village to 216th Street and transfer to Route 871 to the University District.
• Add one morning trip and one evening trip
• See map

Route 855

• Revised route would begin and end at Lynnwood Transit Center
• Travel Options: Route 401 would provide alternate service on 44th Avenue
• Eliminate two morning and two afternoon trips on Route 855 while adding four morning and three afternoon trips by having revised Route 821 stop at Lynnwood Transit Center
• See map

Route 860

All Route 812 trips will be converted to Route 860 trips, with Route 860 serving both Mariner and McCollum park & rides.

Route 870 see 851/870/871

Route 871 see 851/870/871

Route 880

No change

Route 885

One northbound trip would be converted to a Route 810 trip, serving Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood, Ash Way, Mariner and McCollum park & rides.

 

Back to top

Eastside Service

Community Transit service on I-405 is very limited. Sound Transit, King County Metro Transit and the private sector provide extensive all-day service on this corridor. The elimination of Route 441 allows Community Transit to focus on providing quality commuter service to Seattle.

Route 441

• Route will be eliminated
• Travel Options: Many existing Community Transit vanpools serve the Eastside. Or, current bus riders may consider forming a new vanpool.
• Travel Options: Sound Transit Route 535 offers alternative service to the Eastside, with transfers to King County Metro Transit routes at Totem Lake Freeway Station or Bellevue Transit Center. Microsoft employees also have a shuttle option.
• Travel Options: Use the Trip Planner to explore other service options.
• Travel Options: Service between Lynnwood Transit Center and Canyon Park is be provided by Sound Transit Route 535 and revised Route 120. Route 110 links Edmonds Park & Ride with Lynnwood Transit Center

Back to top

Frequently Asked Questions

Have you changed the proposal in response to public input?

Yes. Staff reviewed all public comments and worked through a number of alternative scenarios to come up with modifications to the proposal that address some of the public concerns. See our Revised Proposal (pdf).

Board member questions and staff answers. (pdf)

How was it decided what routes to eliminate?

When it was clear we needed to cut service our planning staff went through each of our 62 bus routes to find cost savings. They eliminated some loops through neighborhoods, truncated some routes at park & ride lots and eliminated some routes where consolidation could create more efficiency.

The specific routes that are targeted for elimination (12 in all) are usually part of a pair of routes that generally followed the same routing but had some deviations. For instance, Routes 105 and 106 between Mill Creek and Bothell both travel down the Bothell-Everett Highway, but take different paths through Canyon Park, then each end up at UW Bothell. Under the proposal, Route 106 would be eliminated and a "straightened out" Route 105 would take over many of the Route 106 trips, meaning there would still be frequent service but the route would take less time and this would save money.

Are there ridership statistics available for the two Bothell routes to be eliminated?

Last month, December 2009, Route 106 carried about 207 riders each weekday and Route 121 carried about 359 riders each weekday. Currently, Route 106 trips alternate with Route 105 trips during the mid-day and Route 121 operates at peak morning and afternoon hours only. While those routes are proposed to be canceled, the trips would be converted to Routes 105 and 120 to continue to provide service at least every 30 minutes in Bothell, Lynnwood and Mill Creek.

Not to put you on the spot, but how would you respond to a wheelchair bound customer who contends cuts will eliminate his ability to get around?

We do not want to make these cuts. We have delayed having to make service cuts for two years by cutting internal spending and borrowing against our reserves. Last year the only reason we didn't make cuts was because of a one-time infusion of federal stimulus funding. But we now have a budget deficit large enough that warrants a 15 percent service reduction.

With that size of a cut, unfortunately, many people will be impacted. Some will be left without viable options to take the bus. If this person lives within 3/4 miles of one of our local bus routes, he or she may be eligible for our Dial-A-Ride-Transportation (DART) paratransit service. This shuttle can take this person from home to a regular bus route, or perhaps all the way to his or her destination. If he or she lives further outside our service area, this person may be eligible for another special needs transportation option. We have a list of those providers here. Read more about DART paratransit impacts here.

I’m assuming cuts are being made for budget reasons. Can you expand briefly.

Community Transit is funded primarily through a 0.9 percent retail sales tax in our service area. With consumer spending down this recession, the agency has seen its tax revenues drop more than 15 percent below 2007 levels. We have projected that because of the recession, Community Transit will have lost $180 million between 2008-2013. That is money we counted on to both operate existing service levels and to expand to meet community demands.

The past two years the agency reduced spending and borrowed against our bus replacement reserves to maintain service. In 2008 we cut $12 million internally, and in 2009 we cut another $2 million and were saved by one-time federal stimulus money.

In 2010 we face a $10 million deficit. We have again borrowed against our bus replacement money, hoping that we will receive additional federal money when we need to buy new buses next year. After that we have a $5 million gap that is being filled by a combination of fare increases and service cuts.

The proposal before our Board of Directors is to raise local bus and DART paratransit fares by 25 cents, and to cut 15 percent of our overall service. Part of that plan includes a suspension of Sunday and holiday service, which we would restore as soon as funding becomes available.

Can’t you get federal or state funding to help fill your budget hole? There must be money out there to help keep cars off the road.

Community Transit is working every local, state and federal angle it can to get more money. That may not be apparent to riders, but the agency is very active behind the scenes. In fact, on Jan. 28 our CEO Joyce Eleanor will testify in Olympia on House Bill 2588, which would give transit agencies the authority to temporarily raise car tab fees in their jurisdictions by $20.

We are also hoping that a new federal jobs bill will have funding for public transportation. The challenge is that most often federal transit funding can only be used for capital spending (like new buses or facilities) and not bus service. We’ll be pushing to get funding that is “flexible” enough to use on transit service.

How can you save money by closing your base on Sundays when you operate Sound Transit service on Sundays?

Community Transit has two bases in Everett. The Merrill Creek base is used for local, University and a handful of Seattle routes. The Kasch Park base is used for most of our commuter service and for Sound Transit. On weekends the commuter base is open only to run Sound Transit service. Sound Transit pays the cost of that operation. That would not change, as Sound Transit will continue to operate seven days a week. However, with Community Transit’s Sunday service suspension proposal our Merrill Creek base would not open at all on Sundays for local service, saving substantial overhead costs.

Why are you changing commuter routes to start mostly at park & rides and transit centers?

Many commuter routes currently go through communities following routing also used by local buses. Eliminating this duplication of service will reduce costs, while commuters may be able to use local service or other means to get to and from a park & ride for commuter service.

Doesn't Boeing subsidize bus service to the Everett plant?

Boeing has never subsidized bus operations – they did purchase buses for transit agencies in the early 1990s when they expanded. Those buses have since been retired. Boeing does subsidize employees who use buses or vanpool to get to work by providing a $30 a month incentive. It also offers preferred parking to vanpools and registered carpools.

Why don't you raise fares to save service?

Even though some riders would like to pay more to save their service, we can’t raise fares enough to cover our costs, and high fares hurt low income riders. We are proposing a 25 cent local and DART paratransit fare increase that will bring in half a million dollars ($500,000), but we’d need 10 times more fare revenue to make up our deficit.

Why are you only raising local and DART fares? What about commuters?

Community Transit’s local fares are among the lowest in the region. Raising them a quarter still leaves them in the same ballpark as other agencies. DART fares have always been the same as our adult local fare. Our commuter fares are already among the highest in the region. We did not propose raising them because riders might simply choose other transit service. Also, a similar 25-cent fare increase on commuter service would produce less revenue than the local fare increase.

Why did you start Swift if you have to cut regular service?

Swift bus rapid transit service between Shoreline and Everett had been planned for several years, and funding was secured before the economy soured. Swift serves the highest ridership corridor in Snohomish County and replaced Route 100. After just one month in service, Swift is already our second highest ridership bus route, and growing.

As the first bus rapid transit (BRT) line in our state, Swift has received many grants for both capital costs and operations. In fact, 90 percent of the cost of running Swift from 2010-2012 is paid for by grants, partnerships and fares from customers. That money could not be used for any other service.

Under the proposal, Swift service would be suspended on Sundays and major holidays, along with the rest of Community Transit service.

It doesn’t seem like other agencies are cutting service as much as Community Transit, why?

Every public agency funded by sales taxes is being impacted by the recession. Some agencies, like King County Metro Transit, have other sources of funding not available to Community Transit. Still, in our region Pierce Transit has cut 6 percent of its service and is considering further cuts, and Kitsap Transit has already cut Sunday, holiday and special service. Sound Transit has also said it projects to lose out on about $2 billion of its recently passed Sound Transit 2 funding plan.

Why are you cutting Sunday service, and will it ever come back?

The Sunday service suspension, as difficult as it is, would save half of all the money needed to balance our budget. This is because we would not just be reducing hours in service, but would completely close our base for the entire day. This proposal is in line with our goal of impacting the least number of riders.

Have you considered any other scenarios for saving money?

The goal was to impact as few riders as possible while achieving the necessary savings ($5 million in 2010, $11 million in 2011). As we looked at other scenarios like cutting back on service frequencies, or ending service earlier in the evenings, we saw that many more riders would be impacted. That led to the recommended proposal now before the public.

Will there be a tax increase to put service back on the road?

By state law, Community Transit cannot impose any more taxes than it does already (9/10 of 1 percent sales tax, or 9 cents on every $10). If the state gave the agency additional taxing authority, that would be an option we would consider instead of cutting service.

What is Community Transit proposing?

Community Transit is proposing to increase local bus and DART paratransit fares by 25 cents, make strategic cuts to commuter and local service, and suspend Sunday and holiday service. Restoring Sunday and holiday would be the first priority as soon as possible.

Why is Community Transit proposing this?

For the past two years the recession has severely reduced Community Transit’s funding. Prior to the recession, sales tax provided 70 percent of Community Transit’s revenue. Now it is only about 59 percent. Community Transit has made budget cuts of $12 million in 2008 and an additional $2 million in 2009 in areas that are not obvious to passengers. It also has borrowed from its reserves to maintain service levels. This is no longer possible. The only choice is to cut service.See 2010 budget message.

What are the details of the proposed cuts?

Route-specific details are listed here on this web page. With the idea of cutting service in a way that impacts the fewest passengers, the basic proposal is that weekdays service would not begin until about 5 a.m. and service would end at about 12:30 a.m. This shortens our service day by about two hours, reducing costs. Commuter service would be reduced to mostly start and end at park & rides and transit centers. Sunday and holiday service would be suspended. Sunday service makes up about 5 percent of our annual passenger ridership.

How can you cut Sunday service and leave those who depend on transit without a way to get around?

People who are transit-dependent use our system every day, not just on Sundays. Suspending Sunday service would allow us to keep service pretty much as it is the rest of the week. We do not want to suspend Sunday service, but it would provide the greatest savings while impacting the smallest percentage of passengers. Suspending Sunday service would create about 50 percent of the cost savings we need. When funding becomes available, restoring Sunday service would be our highest priority.

What would happen if you kept Sunday service operating?

Maintaining Sunday service would force us to cut an additional 20,000 hours of service, the equivalent of all service to eastern Snohomish County on Routes 270, 271, 275 and 277.

Can’t you cut commuter service and provide more service to the people of Snohomish County?

Commuters who use our service are Snohomish County residents as well. They pay taxes in our service district and higher fares on their routes than local bus riders. Even so, commuter service is being cut by a much larger percentage than local service. The proposal calls for commuter service to be reduced by 26 percent, compared to 16 percent for local service.

Original Proposal (Feb. 24 Draft) - NOT ADOPTED

Boeing Original Proposal (Feb. 24 Draft)
NOT ADOPTED

Service to Boeing’s Everett plant would be revised with new starting locations and times, and new routing at the Boeing plant. Also, Routes 207 and 247 would be eliminated.

• See Feb. 24 Revised Proposal (pdf)
• Read the letter to Boeing employees from CEO Joyce Eleanor.

Routes serving Boeing would begin service closer to city centers, rather than in rural areas. With a change to Community Transit’s operating hours, early shifts cannot be served. Routes 227, 277 and 280 would serve shift start times between 6 and 7:30 a.m.

All Boeing routes would change their routing at the Boeing plant. See Boeing plant map

Vanpool is a convenient alternative for Boeing employees. About 80 Community Transit vans serve the Everett plant. Current bus riders may consider joining or forming a Community Transit vanpool. The Boeing Public Transportation Incentive will cover up to $30 vanpool fare each month.

At the Boeing plant, all buses would serve the entire plant, not just the northern loop. Buses would also serve a new stop location on Seaway Boulevard rather than the current stop at E-77. This would accommodate non-Boeing employees who work in the area (such as Fluke, PUD). Other Boeing stop locations remain the same.

Routes 207 and 247

• Routes would be eliminated
• Travel Options: Boeing customers would be able to board the revised Route 227 in Smokey Point or at I-5 freeway stops at 116th Street and Marine Drive (Fourth Street). These stops are near park & rides and transfers may be available from Route 422 at the I-5 stops
• Travel Options: Vanpools and carpools
• See map

Route 227

• Route would begin at Smokey Point Community Church Park & Pool. Service to Arlington Park & Ride and downtown Arlington residential areas would be eliminated
• Travel Options: Passengers may be able to transfer at Smokey Point from Route 240
• Serve I-5 flyer stops at 116th Street and Marine Drive (Fourth Street) in Marysville
• Three roundtrips would be added, for a total of five roundtrips to Boeing
• Southbound trips would depart Smokey Point Community Church between 5 a.m. and 6:45 a.m.
• Afternoon trips would depart between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.
• See route map. See Boeing plant map

Route 277

• First morning and afternoon trips would begin and end at Snohomish Park & Ride; the next two trips would begin and end at Monroe Park & Ride
• Service to and from Sultan and Gold Bar would be eliminated. The first morning trip from Gold Bar on Route 270 would depart around 6 a.m.
• Travel Options: Vanpools and carpools
• See map

Route 280

• Morning service to Boeing would begin and end at Lake Stevens Transit Center. Two roundtrips to Boeing a day would continue to be provided
• Travel Options: Vanpools and carpools
• See map

Back to top

Bothell/Canyon Park Original Proposal (Feb. 24 Draft)
NOT ADOPTED

This service proposal would streamline the routing of Bothell-area routes and provide more direct service along roads that are designated for transit (Highway 527 and 228th Street) in our long range plans. Revised Routes 105 and 120 would work together to maintain service and frequencies to key destinations like downtown Bothell, Canyon Park, Country Village , Lynnwood Transit Center and UW Bothell. Local service in some areas would be eliminated.

Routes 105/106

• Route 106 would be eliminated
• Revised Route 105 would operate at the same frequency as the current combination of Routes 105/106 - every 20-30 minutes Monday through Saturday
• Proposal would provide continuous service along Highway 527 between south Everett and Bothell
• New routing would serve downtown Bothell via NE 185th Street, the city’s preferred transit corridor
• Eliminate loop through Canyon Park and service to North Creek Business Park and residential areas of northeast Bothell
• Travel Options: Canyon Park businesses would be served by a reconfigured Route 120. Riders can reach North Creek via King County Metro Transit service (see map). Commuters can also consider forming or joining carpools or vanpools
• Travel Options: Connect with King County Metro Transit and Sound Transit service in downtown Bothell and at the UW Bothell campus
• See map

Routes 120/121

• Route 121 would be eliminated
• Revised Route 120 would operate at the same frequency as the current combination of Routes 120/121 between Lynnwood Transit Center and Canyon Park Park & Ride
• Serve 228th Street corridor between 4th Avenue W. and 29th Drive S.E.
• Routing south of 228th Street would be eliminated
• Travel Options: Revised Route 105 would serve Highway 527 and Country Village
• Travel Options: To access downtown Bothell or UW Bothell, passengers would need to transfer to Route 105 or Sound Transit service at Canyon Park Park & Ride
• Weekdays: Eliminate last trip to Lynnwood
• Saturdays: Eliminate last trip to Bothell
• See map

Back to top

North and East Snohomish County Original Proposal (Feb. 24 Draft)
NOT ADOPTED

Service frequencies to destinations like Frontier Village, Quil Ceda Village, Smokey Point and along State Avenue in Marysville would be maintained with this proposal. Generally, routing in North Snohomish County would be unchanged, except for the elimination of some routing loops and duplicate service where it now exists.

Overall service and routing in East Snohomish County would be maintained. There are some proposed service reductions to the towns farthest away from Everett on select trips.

Some early morning and late night service would be reduced.

Route 200

• Route 200 would be eliminated. Community Transit would no longer serve North Broadway in Everett.
• All Route 200 trips would be converted to Route 202 trips
• Travel Options: Everett Transit Route 79 Express offers service between Marysville and Everett southbound in the mornings and northbound in the afternoons. Route 79 serves Smokey Point Boulevard, State Avenue, Everett Community College, Providence Hospital and Naval Station Everett. See map on Everett Transit website.
• Travel Options: Customers may also transfer to Everett Transit Routes 9 and 19 at Everett Station for service to north Broadway
• See map

Routes 201/202

• Weekdays: Eliminate first morning trip to Lynnwood (a Route 200 trip). First two southbound trips would start at State & Grove in Marysville rather than at Smokey Point.
• Weekdays: First northbound Route 202 trip from Everett to Smokey Point would be eliminated.

Route 221

• Loop west of Highway 9 on Market Place and 91st Avenue would be eliminated
• Travel Options: Riders can transfer to Route 280 at Lake Stevens Transit Center to access the Market Place area
• Weekdays: Eliminate first trip of the day to Quil Ceda and last two trips of the night to Lake Stevens
• Saturdays: Selected trips shifted up to 25 minutes earlier or later for operating efficiencies

Route 222

• Saturdays: Eliminate last trip to Tulalip and last trip to Marysville

Route 230

• Weekdays: Begin first trip to Darrington at Broadway and Gilman in Arlington. Proposal would eliminate a morning and afternoon trip to Darrington and a morning and afternoon trip to Arlington.
• Saturdays: Number of trips would remain the same, but schedule would shift to reduce operating costs

Route 240

• Weekdays: Eliminate first trip to Arlington. Last two trips from Stanwood and Arlington will end at Smokey Point/li>
• Saturdays: Last trips from Stanwood and Arlington will end at Smokey Point

Route 270

Weekdays: First trip to Everett would begin at Sultan Park & Ride

Route 271

Weekdays: Last eastbound trip would end at Sultan Park & Ride

Route 275

No change

Route 277

See Boeing section

Route 280

• Weekdays: First two morning trips to Everett (and Boeing) would start at Lake Stevens Transit Center
• See Boeing section

Back to top

Downtown Seattle Service Original Proposal (Feb. 24 Draft)
NOT ADOPTED

Frequent peak-hour service between Snohomish County and downtown Seattle would be maintained with this proposal. While there would be service reductions, this proposal helps to:

• Preserve peak-hour frequencies
• Preserve room for current riders
• Concentrate service on the I-5 corridor
• Eliminate duplicate service
• Reduce or eliminate neighborhood collector service

This service proposal also provides more intracounty service options from North Snohomish County to South Snohomish County, as well as more options for South Snohomish County commuters to get to downtown Seattle.

In addition, several route changes would give commuters leaving downtown Seattle more opportunities to catch different buses to get to their final destinations via South Snohomish County.

Some commuters losing neighborhood access to commuter service may consider the option of carpooling or vanpooling – either to the closest park & ride or all the way to their destination.

Routes 401/402

• Proposal would eliminate six morning and six evening trips on Routes 401/402, for a total of 12 eliminated trips
• Travel Options: Add service to Lynnwood Transit Center by having all 32 trips on Routes 421, 422 and 425 stop there, resulting in a net gain of 20 trips between Lynnwood Transit Center and Seattle
• Travel Options: Lynnwood commuters would have a new Seattle routing option (Routes 421 and 425 enter Seattle from the south; Routes 401/402 and 422 from the north)

Route 404/405

• All trips would begin and end at Edmonds Park & Ride as Route 405. Route 404 would be eliminated
• Travel Options: Service between Edmonds ferry and Seattle would be provided by revised Route 416 and by Sounder commuter rail
• Travel Options: Customers can access service at the Edmonds Park & Ride via local Routes 110 and 131 from downtown Edmonds as well as via Swift service on Highway 99
• Proposal would eliminate one morning trip to Seattle and three northbound trips in the afternoon See map

Route 406

• Route would begin and end at Edmonds Park & Ride. Service to Seaview neighborhood would be eliminated
• Eliminate first southbound trip
• Travel Options: Seaview customers may access commuter service at Lynnwood Transit Center or downtown Edmonds via Route 116
• See map

Route 408

• Route would begin and end at Mountlake Terrace Transit Center
• Travel Options: Routes 130 and 871 would continue to serve 56th Avenue and connect to Route 408 at the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center
• Travel Options: With the addition of revised Route 477 service, Mountlake Terrace Transit Center commuters would have a new Seattle routing option (Route 408 enters from the north; Route 477 enters from the south)
• See map

Routes 410/411

• Route 411 would be eliminated
• Travel Options: Route 101 would be able to connect former Route 411 passengers to Route 410 service at Mariner Park & Ride
• Travel Options: Customers close to Highway 99 may also access Swift service to connect to other Seattle service
• One southbound trip would be added
• See map

Route 412

• See Feb. 24 Revised Proposal (pdf)
• Route would begin and end at Puget Park Drive & 134th . Loop through Silver Firs would be eliminated
• Travel Options: Passengers may be able to use Route 116 through Silver Firs to access Route 412 service on 132nd Street, or take Route 116 to connect with commuter service at Ash Way Park & Ride
• See map

Route 413

No change

Route 414

• See Feb. 24 Revised Proposal (pdf)
• Route would be eliminated
• Travel Options: Sound Transit provides frequent, all-day bus service between Seattle and Snohomish County, serving park & rides at Lynnwood, Ash Way, South Everett and Everett Station. Transfers to local Community Transit service can connect Sound Transit passengers to additional park & rides

Route 415

• Route would begin and end at 35th Avenue & 148th Street.
• Service on 148th Street, Admiralty and Lincoln ways would be eliminated
• See map

Route 416

• Route would begin at ferry dock. Routing on Main, 9th, Caspers and 3rd would be eliminated
• Two morning and two afternoon trips would be eliminated
• Travel Options: Local service would still be provided on all streets where Route 416 service is discontinued except 9th Avenue. Routes 110 and 116 would connect to revised Route 416 in downtown Edmonds
• See map

Route 417

No change

Route 421

• Route would begin at Cedar and Grove Park & Ride. Loop east of State Avenue would be eliminated. See map
• Travel Options: Local service connections to Routes 201, 202, 221 and 222 would be available at State Avenue and I-5 flyer stop
• See below for new south county stop

Routes 421, 422, 425

• A stop at Lynnwood Transit Center would be added to all trips. The deviation off I-5 would add about 5 minutes travel time to each trip
• Would allow service levels from Marysville, Stanwood and Lake Stevens to remain the same while making use of available seats
• See map

Route 424

• See Feb. 24 Revised Proposal (pdf)
• Route would begin and end at Monroe Park & Ride
• Travel Options: Snohomish residents can access Sound Transit commuter service at Everett Station via Routes 270/271/275
• Route would operate southbound on 179th Avenue both mornings and afternoons to allow the use of articulated coaches that otherwise can’t safely turn across the railroad tracks
• The added seats from the use of articulated coaches in the afternoon would allow for the elimination of the one northbound trip
• See map

Route 435

No change

Route 477

• Route would begin and end route at Mountlake Terrace Transit Center. Routing through Mountlake Terrace and Brier would be eliminated
• Travel Options: Local Routes 112 and 130 would continue to serve Mountlake Terrace and provide connections to commuter service
• Two southbound trips and one northbound trip would be eliminated
• Travel Options: Along with revised Route 408 service, Mountlake Terrace Transit Center commuters will have a new Seattle routing option (Route 408 enters from the north; Route 477 enters from the south)
• See map

Back to top

South Snohomish County Original Proposal (Feb. 24 Draft)
NOT ADOPTED

Frequent service to places like Alderwood mall, Edmonds Community College and the Edmonds and Mukilteo ferries would be maintained with this proposal. Several routes in South Snohomish County would be streamlined to become more efficient. This means the elimination of some routing loops and duplicate service where it now exists.

Late night service would remain on Routes 101, 115, 116, 130, 201/202 and Swift. However, early morning and late night service would be reduced on other routes.

Proposed changes to Routes 118 and 119 are focused on strengthening east-west connections with Swift service on Highway 99.

Swift

No changes, except for Sunday service suspension.

Route 101

• See Revised Proposal (pdf)
• Weekdays: An early morning northbound trip would be added to provide service to local stops, supplementing early Swift service
• Weekdays: Eliminate first southbound trip of the day, last two northbound trips and last southbound trip of the night

Route 110

No changes

Route 112

Weekdays: Eliminate last trips of the night to Lynnwood and Edmonds Community College

Route 113

Weekdays: Eliminate last trips of the night to Lynnwood and Mukilteo

Route 115

• Route would begin and end at Edmonds Community College. Discontinue routing between Edmonds Community College and downtown Edmonds
• Travel Options: Service between downtown Edmonds and Lynnwood Transit Center would still be provided by Routes 110, 116 and 131
• Weekdays: Eliminate last trip to Mill Creek
• Saturdays: Eliminate Route 115 Shuttle (six early morning and evening trips)
• Travel Options: Mill Creek area service still provided by Routes 105, 115 and 116

Route 116

• Eliminate last trip to Edmonds

Route 118

• Revised route would operate only between Aurora Village and Lynnwood Transit Center
• Service to Alderwood and Highway 99 connections to Swift and Route 101 would be provided by a revised Route 119. Route 119 would also provide service between Highway 99 and Ash Way Park & Ride
• Travel Options: Service on Highway 99 would still be provided by Swift and Route 101
• Weekdays: Eliminate last trips to Lynnwood and Aurora Village
• See map

Route 119

• Route would be modified to include parts of Route 118 proposed for elimination
• Extend service on 148th Street, between 52nd Avenue and Ash Way Park & Ride
• Eliminate loop to Picnic Point Road now served by southbound trips only
• The revised route would provide east-west connections to Swift stations at 148th and 176th streets and a new northern terminus at Ash Way Park & Ride
• Eliminate routing on 44th Avenue between 176th and 188th streets
• Maintain service to Alderwood mall area on 33rd Avenue W.
• Saturdays: Eliminate last trip of the night to Meadowdale
• See map

Route 130

• Weekdays: Eliminate first morning trip to Lynnwood

Route 131

• Weekdays: Eliminate first morning trip to Aurora Village

Route 190

• Eliminate loop through Harbour Pointe to provide more direct service to Edmonds Community College. Route would stay on Highway 525 (Mukilteo Speedway) between Front Street and Beverly Park Road
• Travel Options: Route 113 provides all-day service through Harbour Pointe every 20-30 minutes

Back to top

Eastside Service Original Proposal (Feb. 24 Draft)

Community Transit service on I-405 is very limited. Sound Transit, King County Metro Transit and the private sector provide extensive all-day service on this corridor. The proposed elimination of Route 441 allows Community Transit to focus on providing quality commuter service to Seattle.

Route 441

• Route would be eliminated
• Travel Options: Sound Transit Route 535 offers alternative service to the Eastside, with transfers to King County Metro Transit routes at Totem Lake Freeway Station or Bellevue Transit Center. Microsoft employees also have a shuttle option
• Travel Options: Service between Lynnwood Transit Center and Canyon Park would be provided by Sound Transit Route 535 and revised Route 120. Route 110 links Edmonds Park & Ride with Lynnwood Transit Center

Back to top