The Everett Herald reports that CT is considering annexing a big chunk of territory, and introducing bus service there. If I read the article correctly, the people in that area — and that area only — would get hit with the full 0.9% sales tax to get the new service.
Unfortunately, there’s some overlap between the annexation area and the Sound Transit district, so we may be looking at a 1.4% tax hike for transit in those areas, which can’t really be good for the prospects of either.
At the same time, CT has decided to hike fares:
Adult local fares will be $1.50 (up 25 cents). Adult commuter fares will be $3.50 (up 50 cents) for trips to and from south Snohomish County. Trips to and from north and east Snohomish County will cost an adult $4.50 (up 75 cents).
I like that the increase is weighted for distance of commute; the longest-distance trips cost the most to serve, and have the highest cost advantage vs. driving.
Any chance someone can anotate the map with the current ST boundry in that area? It would be nice to know who will fall under both ST and CT.
If this passes, I would invision hourly service each way on both 522 (from Monroe to Woodinville) and 9 (from Snohomish (and further north?) to Woodinville) as well as service from Lynwood along 196th/Maltby Road to Maltby (This may be extendable to the intersection of Avondale road and Woodinville Duval road for transfer to Metro)
We could also see Snohomish to Mill Creek via Cathcart way and 9,
I think the road just East of 527 is 35th Ave SE. If so, basically everything West of that is in the ST district. Also, there’s a 1/2-mile wide strip east of Bothell.
One aditional thing I jus noticed, this annexation, would bring the entire Snohomish County portion of the ESR into CT’s teritory, in fact part of the boundry just south of the city of snohomish appears to be the rail ESR itself.
Would CT’s charter allow them to directly run trains on this corridor, or are they restricted to just busses?