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Bus Rapid Transit
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Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a popular new mode of transit that combines the efficiency and appeal of light rail with the flexibility and low cost of buses. This fast, frequent and unique style of bus service is coming to Snohomish County and will be called Swift.

Community Transit is partnering with Everett Transit to bring Swift to the county’s busiest transit corridor, with more than 1.2 million passenger boardings a year between Shoreline and Everett.

Swift will improve transportation on this route by providing even more convenient options for workers, students, shoppers and casual travelers. Among the system’s features are:

Route
Construction Route Stations Vehicles Links

Swift will serve a 17-mile stretch of the Highway 99/Evergreen Way/Rucker Avenue/Pacific Avenue corridor between Aurora Village Transit Center in the south and Everett Station in the north.

The Swift route has 10 miles of transit signal priority (TSP) intersections, which can extend a green light a few seconds to keep late-running buses on schedule. Additional TSP will be coming to intersections in Everett. There are seven miles of transit-only lanes in the corridor, and plans include further traffic improvements.

There are more than 50 existing local bus stops on this route in each direction, however to speed service, Swift will serve only 12 stops each way. Every Swift station has a local bus stop nearby, so passengers wishing to reach other locations can easily transfer to local buses.

Swift stations are located about 1 to 2 miles apart. While more stations could be added in the future, these locations were selected because they serve popular destinations and/or transit connection points.

Connections

Both Swift terminals are major transit hubs. At the south end, the Aurora Village Transit Center in Shoreline offers connections to Community Transit and King County Metro Transit buses that serve south Snohomish County, north King County and downtown Seattle.

At the north end, Everett Station offers connections to Community Transit, Everett Transit, Island Transit, Skagit Transit and Sound Transit buses, as well as Sounder commuter trains, Greyhound and Amtrak.

Local stops near Swift stations will offer transfers to additional stops in the corridor as well as east-west service provided by Community Transit and Everett Transit.

Key destinations served by Swift include:

Stations
Construction Route Stations Vehicles Links

Swift stations will provide shelter, seating and real-time information to help riders get to their destinations quickly.

Larger than a standard bus shelter, Swift stations will be identified by a distinct roadside marker that stands out along the corridor. The stations are designed with ample lighting and translucent weather barriers that are graffiti-resistant. Frequent visits by transit police as well as regular upkeep of the facility will help riders feel safe and secure during their brief waits.

Stations will feature real-time monitors to let waiting passengers know when the next bus will arrive. Ticket vending machines will allow those without transit passes to purchase a ticket and board the bus through any of three doors. A raised curb will allow for easy access onto the low-floor Swift buses, and inlaid icons will indicate where riders should wait to board the bus, for example, wheelchairs board at the first door.

Large information kiosks at the stations will provide easy-to-understand information about how to ride Swift, how to make connections onto other transit modes and directional information to familiarize yourself with the area around that station. In addition, each station will have creative features inlaid in the concrete that identify them with that community and help to make each station unique.

Vehicles
Construction Route Stations Vehicles Links

Swift vehicles are stylized 60-foot articulated, hybrid diesel-electric buses with a sleek Swift logo and colorful graphics. The buses are designed with other features you won’t find on a standard bus, including:

These buses are being specially built for Community Transit’s Swift line and will begin arriving in spring 2009. After that time you may see them driving throughout the area as they are being tested.

Construction
Construction Route Stations Vehicles Links

Construction on Swift stations may begin as early as fall 2008. Construction will involve impacts to some businesses at key intersections and some right-lane closures, typically at night and on weekends.

Construction will occur in two phases – underground utility placement and concrete pad work first, then actual construction of the station structure. Each phase will likely take several months. All Swift stations are expected to be completed by early summer 2009.

During construction, regular updates will be posted to this website. A periodic Swift Construction newsletter will provide news on scheduled construction timelines as that work moves along the corridor. Unscheduled construction events will be discussed in Construction Alerts.

You can sign up to receive both the newsletter and alerts through Community Transit’s email alert system by clicking here. You can also call (425) 353-RIDE (7433) for more information.

Construction Route Stations Vehicles Links

Here are some noteworthy links to details of the Swift Bus Rapid Transit project and other information about BRT systems in the region and around the country.