Everett Transit’s going to need more drivers for proposed service changes in March.
The semiannual shift includes major adjustments for five routes, earlier and later hours for several routes, and smaller tweaks on five others. The changes generally improve transfer connections and accessibility, Everett Transit spokesman Ryan Bisson said. If the Everett City Council approves the changes, it means another seven drivers are needed for the city-run transit operations.
Possibly the biggest change will be to Route 18, which connects Everett Station to the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal. Construction to replace the 76-year-old Edgewater Bridge will sever the Mukilteo Boulevard connection between Everett and Mukilteo for a year.
Route 18 instead will use Glenwood Avenue and Merrill Creek Parkway to reach the Seaway Transit Center before taking Highway 526 to the Mukilteo Speedway and reaching the ferry terminal. It also combines with the former Route 70 which linked the ferry terminal to the Boeing campus, and will only run five times in the morning and five times in the afternoon, with arrivals and departures tied to the Washington State Ferries schedule.
“We’ve been planning this one from basically a couple years ago,” Bisson said.
All-day service was suspended on Route 18 a few years ago because ridership data didn’t justify the cost, he said.
Route 2 between the Everett Mall and Mariner Park and Ride is getting a “major expansion” along 112th Street SW that builds out the east-to-west link in south Everett. It passes or gets close to several retail options, including Walmart, as well as schools and the Paine Field Airport.
“With the expansion of the Route 2, you’re going to gain access to a lot more shopping and general access to other transit, transfers and other routes,” Bisson said.
If approved, its peak frequency will be about 45 minutes, and 60 minutes during the rest of its service.
Once again Route 3 could go to 79th Place SE and Beverly Lane near Evergreen Middle School between Everett Station and the Seaway Transit Center. It would travel a new path along Sievers Duecy Boulevard, where new work sites have popped up in recent years to complement others already along Hardeson Road and Merrill Creek Parkway.
Everett’s only bus line that goes all the way to the Paine Field airport, Route 8, is restoring access to Fourth Avenue W. and Fifth Avenue W. and adding trips. Service runs 5 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. on weekdays, with later starts and earlier ends Saturday and Sunday.
“Hopefully this creates more accessibility for more people to get there by transit if they want,” Bisson said.
After years without a bus along Colby, the Route 19 would resume service that reaches hospitals and schools. Peak service on weekdays would be every 30 minutes. It is similar to the former Route 17, but Route 19 will be a north Everett bus between Everett Community College and Everett station.
“We’ve heard a lot about access to Providence on Colby and Everett High School,” Bisson said. “It creates a quick trip through heart of downtown.”
Route 7’s 15-minute frequency would start at 7 a.m., an hour earlier than current operations, if the Everett City Council approves the proposed service change.
Everett Transit staff will be on buses and at stations in the coming three weeks to talk about the possible adjustments.
Staff also on buses in next few weeks to talk about and do surveys about the service change proposal. Online surveys are available until Dec. 5.
Presentations about the change are set for 4-7 p.m. Wednesday and noon-3 p.m. Nov. 21, both at Everett Station.
Have a question? Call 425-339-3037 or email streetsmarts@heraldnet.com. Please include your first and last name and city of residence.
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