Snohomish County bus riders will have direct connection to light rail this fall

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Snohomish County bus riders will have direct connection to light rail this fall

Aug 6, 2021, 11:16 by Evan Ebert

Frequent bus service to/from the new Northgate light rail station will decrease travel time for many, especially during peak traffic hours

Snohomish County, Wash. – Starting in early October, people traveling from Snohomish County will have more travel options to and from destinations in King County. Select Community Transit routes and most Sound Transit buses operated by Community Transit will connect to the new 1 Line (Link) light rail station at Northgate.

Whether riders are going to class at the UW, a job downtown, or to SeaTac Airport, the combination bus-light rail trip provides frequent, easy connections that, in many cases, will decrease overall travel time.

“This connection is a game-changer for people in Snohomish County as it expands all-day, frequent transit options between the two counties,” said Community Transit CEO Ric Ilgenfritz. “Having an easy connection to the regional light rail network increases the possibilities for using transit to get to where people want to live, work, or go to school.”

Overall trip times will be more reliable

Community Transit will redirect its 800-series bus routes to connect to the 1 Line at Northgate Station instead of going to the U District and University of Washington. Sound Transit Routes 511, 512, and 513 that currently run between Snohomish County and Seattle will also connect to light rail at Northgate.

With the bus-light rail connection, many riders will experience a faster trip at heavy traffic times, and all riders will have a more reliable trip. The 1 Line will depart Northgate every eight minutes during peak times. Travel time from Northgate to the U District is expected to take six minutes, and the trip from Northgate to downtown Seattle is expected to take 14 minutes.

By eliminating the Northgate-UW portion of its bus routes, Community Transit will reinvest those service hours by adding 48 trips back to Snohomish County in the afternoon and evening. As a result, each of the 800-series routes will have a bus leaving Northgate every 15 minutes during the evening commute.

New transit destinations for Snohomish County residents

People traveling to the 1 Line from Snohomish County will now have direct transit connections to many new locations for the first time. Besides Northgate, riders will be able to go anywhere light rail travels. Destinations include Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, Rainier Beach, Tukwila and SeaTac Airport. Transit riders will also be able to catch a bus connection to South Lake Union or First Hill from Northgate, bypassing a trip to downtown.

Community Transit 400-series routes and Sound Transit Route 510 will continue to provide direct bus service between Snohomish County and downtown Seattle.

Over the next two months, Community Transit staff, in coordination with Sound Transit, will be at transit stops, speaking with community groups, and hosting virtual meetings to help customers map out their bus-light rail trips. Follow Community Transit on Facebook or Twitter (@MyCommTrans) to get updates on outreach events.

Fall service change dates

Saturday, October 2:

Sound Transit 1 Line light rail opens three new stations: Northgate, Roosevelt and U District.

Sound Transit Route 512 will connect to the 1 Line at Northgate Station.

Sunday, October 3:

Community Transit implements its fall service change on local routes within Snohomish County (see www.communitytransit.org/newservice for details).

Monday, October 4:

Community Transit Routes 810, 821, 860, 871, 880, and Sound Transit Routes 511 and 513 will connect to the 1 Line at Northgate Station.

For questions about the Community Transit 2021 Fall Service Change, please contact:

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