Community Transit – Page 2 – Seattle Transit Blog

North by Northwest View 19: Time for Camano Island to Pivot to Community Transit?

June 2, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

My recent photo of an Island Transit 411C Camano Bus

Full disclosure: The below letter to the editor by me ran in the Stanwood-Camano News today.

Figured some of you in the transit advocate community would want to discuss this. Island County Commissioner Rick Hannold also told the Stanwood-Camano News in part:

The board is not sure how long the routes will be cut. Hannold said they are investigating the initiation of a fare system that would help to alleviate the burden of the 411 routes’ additional expense.
“I’ve been pushing for a fare system since the get-go,” Hannold said. “Riders need to have a stake in this; it doesn’t come for free.”
A fare system, he said, would be helpful in many ways.
For one, the House and the Senate have approved funding for the Everett connector, Hannold said, though it is awaiting the governor’s signature. To benefit, though, Island Transit is required to include fare boxes in each of their buses.
Additionally, if fare boxes are installed, Island Transit can apply for Medicaid reimbursement for paratransit expenses –a special service for disabled individuals not accommodated by the regular bus service.
Paratransit costs Island Transit approximately $1.5 million per year.
In April alone, Hannold said, the cost for paratransit services was $70,000, while Island Transit spent $180,000 on all other services combined.
“It’s costing us so much, and we’re required by law to provide it,” he said. If they could alleviate some of the cost associated with that service, Hannold thinks money could be redirected toward other things, which may include reintroducing the 411 routes down the road – a service that has cost them around $500,000 over the past six months.
“We just don’t have it,” Hannold said.

Figure this will help fuel the debate that should have happened, like oh, last November. I even had inside information on 2 July of 2014 this was a distinct possibility. Yet no action until too late… the blame falls on both Skagit Transit & Island Transit for not being proactive with contingency planning for this day.

North by Northwest 63: Barring Rep. Dave Hayes Amendment Passing, the Tri-County Connector Will Die 31 July

May 24, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

My photo of an Island Transit Route 411W Tri-County Connector

On 22 May 2015, the Island Transit Board made the gut-wrenching decision that due to Island Transit’s fiscal troubles, the lack of state support and the refusal of Skagit Transit to serve to Deception Pass to unless Representative Dave Hayes’ amendment passes stand down the Tri-County Connector on 31 July. That means no Island Transit service not just to March’s Point, but also no Island Transit service to Skagit Station in Mount Vernon. Island Transit will however serve North Whidbey in a limited way up to Deception Pass and provide services for Camano Island residents to link to Stanwood & Community Transit services flowing from Stanwood to points south. Overall, although Island Transit Boardmembers were audibly if not visibly distraught at making this decision – and there’s video below, without the Hayes Amendment to provide some state funding connected to charging a fare, the money is just not in Island Transit coffers to provide linkage services between Whidbey Island & Camano Island.

To spare our Seattle Transit Blog e-mails as I too am on e-mail subscription, I’ve put in a Read More jump below. Also figure some of you may not be interested…

Continue reading “North by Northwest 63: Barring Rep. Dave Hayes Amendment Passing, the Tri-County Connector Will Die 31 July”

North by Northwest Big Interview 01: Mukilteo Mayor Jennifer Gregerson

May 9, 2015May 13, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

http://i.imgur.com/bFe1szsl.jpg

Mukilteo Mayor Jennifer Gregerson

A while ago on a Sunday Open Thread, I aired a trial balloon of doing a podcast on transit issues. Most of you in the STB comment threads wanted text instead so I’m going to oblige. I’m hoping based on the responses here to make time to do this monthly or twice a month with a major newsmaker who we would not hear from otherwise that has an impact on transit services north of Lynnwood. So here we go with the North by Northwest Big Interview!

For my first subject, I decided to choose a friendly face and also a voice who in some of the big debates affecting the North by Northwest region who has not been heard from. From the Future of Flight Transit Desert to the proposed Paine Field Terminal – the media has (mostly) neglected Mayor Jennifer Gregerson’ s voice. Today is about turning that around and I sincerely appreciate her interest and participating.

In this interview we discussed Sounder North, a substantial subject of yesterday’s main post’s comment thread. We also discussed potential transportation options to the potential Paine Field Terminal that Propeller Airports wants to build, Community Transit, Swift 2 and finally the Future of Flight transit desert. I’ve helpfully included appropriate pictures and hyperlinks.

For those on e-mail subscription like I, I’ve decided to insert a jump point here so if you want to read the whole interview – just click the header. For the over 1,200 word interview itself, read on.

Continue reading “North by Northwest Big Interview 01: Mukilteo Mayor Jennifer Gregerson”

North by Northwest 51: Community Transit’s Transit Development Plan Update – Comments DUE 3 April!

March 20, 2015March 20, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

My snap of a Community Transit Double Tall.

Just finally became aware today of Community Transit’s draft annual Transit Development Plan update (hereafter CT Draft TDP for brevity) towards a very bold vision of, “Transit will be the first choice, not just for commuting to work but for all travel” (Page 5 of THIS PDF). STB transit geeks this weekend might want to eke out time and write a comment letter to planupdate-AT-commtrans-DOT-org because you’ve got only until April 3rd to comment.

However, before you write off your wish list to Community Transit, you might want to note the CT Draft TDP has some interesting points:

“Based on the current service network, 45% of all jobs in the county and 76% of all jobs in the PTBA are within ¼ mile walk distance of Community Transit bus service (Figure 22). An additional 154,000 jobs in King County and 24,000 jobs in Everett are also within ¼ mile walk distance of Community Transit bus service. In all, nearly 260,000 jobs are within ¼ mile walk distance of Community Transit bus service.” [Please note Everett Transit has its own separate Public Transit Benefit Area for the City of Everett too].
“On the congested I-5 corridor between Everett and Seattle, buses are carrying 25% of all commuters on the road in less than one percent of the vehicles.”
In 2013, the cost per bus rider averaged out on every route after fare payment was $6.57 for about a 24% farebox recovery. However fare increases beyond 2015’s are planned for 2017 & 2019 to hopefully maintain that 23-24% farebox recovery.
“Retail sales tax collected in the Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA) is our primary revenue source. PTBA residents have approved the maximum taxation rate – 9/10 of one cent, or 9 cents on a $10 purchase – allowed under current law. Through a partnership agreement, Everett Transit also contributes sales tax funding – ½ of one tenth of one percent, or ½ cent on a $10 purchase – toward operation of Swift service in Everett. Retail sales tax accounts for about 63 percent of the agency’s operating revenue. Rider fares provide about 16 percent of total operating revenue and cover about 24 percent of the cost to operate Community Transit branded service (excluding Sound Transit routes).”
“As described in the service portion of this plan, revenue forecasts have been sufficient to shore up the existing transit network and return to 7/365 operations with restoration of Sunday service. But the list of unmet needs is far larger. Community Transit’s vision for fast, convenient bus service throughout Snohomish County requires a higher level of public investment.”

Again, comments are due on the CT Draft TDP by 3 April so don’t delay, e-mail planupdate-AT-commtrans.org your thoughts this weekend or next as you’ve only got two weeks from today. So if you want more bus service, a new bus stop or just want to atta-boy Community Transit, please make the time to submit comment. Arguably resources are taken from service hours to prepare transit development plans so ridership can give feedback, so please by 3 April e-mail planupdate-AT-commtrans.org your thoughts on the CT Draft TDP.

North by Northwest 50: Following Up…

March 8, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

My Photo, “Going for that black & white look of an Island Transit 411W at March’s Point, Anacortes, WA“

Two separate transit agencies are on two very interesting paths – namely Island Transit & Community Transit.

For Island Transit, tomorrow the 9th of March, the Island Transit Board will gather to discuss on the agenda, among other things:

Discussion of Financial Stabilization Plan and Correspondence from the Board of Directors (“Island Transit’s Recovery Story” letter)
Surplus Vehicles
New Revenue Sources [Advertising, Fares]
Service Issues [such as the Tri-County Connectors & service to Ault Field – the main NAS Whidbey Island campus to the north of Oak Harbor.].
Status of Audit Findings and Resolutions

The special meeting is planned to run from 9:30 AM until 11:30 AM, but a majority of the board can extend the meeting time to address agenda items, which seems likely to this keen observer. I have a photoshoot scheduled tentatively at 1 PM in Mukilteo so can’t be there.

For those STB readers who may be unaware, Island Transit has an interim CEO in Ken Graska and it’s been decided to wait to seek a permanent replacement while Island Transit seeks alternative revenue streams and conducts route restructures. Also Coupeville City Council decided to replace the controversial rep Bob Clay with Island County Human Services Director & Town of Coupeville Councilwoman Jackie Henderson.

My black & white iPod photo snap of Community Transit Swift BRT at Everett Station

For Community Transit, the story’s a bit different. First, for those few who may not have heard, the Snohomish County Council approved a lease option contingent on an Environmental Assessment for Paine Field commercial service a week ago. But as two dueling press releases by proponents Propeller Airports and in opposition Mukilteo Mayor Jennifer Gregerson posted at MyEverettNews.com indicate, both pro & con can only agree the County Council vote is a step not a finale. Major issues remain, such as addressing traffic & transit access & how many passengers will actually use the terminal on the east side of Paine Field – which could factor in any discussion about ST3 having light rail service Paine Field.

New CEO Emmett Heath arguably put it right when he wrote in Community Transit’s press release announcing his hiring, “We’re back in growth mode. Today, we have every driver and every bus out on the road, yet we know there are still unmet needs in our community,” said Heath. The plan is to get state legislative authorization to seek voter approval to raise taxes three-tenths of one percent to fund Community Transit expansion. Other items of a growth-focused tenure are in the works such as working well with other transit agencies and a few transit projects.

North by Northwest 47: Tomorrow’s A Big Game Day for Community Transit…

February 3, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

My photo of a Community Transit Swift I bus

HB 1393 – the local option – for Community Transit has a first hearing tomorrow in the House Transportation Committee for HB 1393 is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4 at the John L. O’Brien Building, House Hearing Rm B. It’ll also be on TVW.

So if you use transit in Snohomish County or care for your Snohomish neighbors, please go here and request passage of HB 1393. If HB 1393 passes, voters in Community Transit’s service district will get to vote up or down on a 0.3 percent sales tax hike.

So where would the money going to go? Fair question:

Swift II
More commuter bus runs from Snohomish County to Seattle
Extended Community Transit run service periods
Increased bus service hours for all of Community Transit’s runs
More service for Paine Field – provided the bus stops get built…

For Community Transit, after this June’s rebound into Sunday hours and a few route adjustments – “current forecasts indicate that any new service hours added in the next few years are likely to be taken up by schedule maintenance—adding time to current trips because their actual travel time is getting longer.” So we transit advocates can forget about Swift II, service to Paine Field – possibly in lieu of a light rail diversion, or just about anything else on a Community Transit wish list. HB 1393 – is must pass as much as, if not more than ST3.

Oh and one last thing… 1800 Hours tonight, House Republican Chairman Dan Kristainsen who represents a nice swath of Snohomish County (and my Skagit) will hold his tele town hall w/ his 39th LD seatmate Rep. Scott. Make sure to call into (360) 350-6256 at 6 PM tonight the 3rd and ask to please support HB 1393. Or you could please also go here please and request passage of HB 1393 via e-mail please.

North by Northwest 41: Congressman Rick Larsen Visits Community Transit

January 16, 2015 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

Congressman Rick Larsen dropped into Community Transit today. According to a Community Transit press release:

Cong. Rick Larsen Tours Swift II Route

January 16, 2015

Snohomish County, Wash. – U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen took a tour of Community Transit’s proposed Swift II Bus Rapid Transit line today, and took a Blue Friday photo with employees to support the Seahawks.

Community Transit last month received Federal Transit Administration approval to move forward with project development of the second Swift line, which would run between Canyon Park in Bothell and Paine Field/Boeing in Everett. Project development includes further route design and environmental review and must be completed before the agency applies for federal Small Starts funding to build the project. If all goes according to plan, Swift II could be operational in 2018.

“You can’t have a big league economy with a little league infrastructure,” Larsen said of the need for improved federal funding for transportation projects like Swift. “It’s the difference between being Super Bowl champions and being the Washington D.C. football team.”

As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Larsen said he is involved in writing a new Surface Transportation Authorization bill that would fund programs like Small Starts, which transit agencies rely on to fund small-to-midsized capital projects.

After addressing employees at Community Transit’s Merrill Creek base in Everett, Larsen joined them for a Blue Friday photo in front of a Swift bus before taking his tour of the route.

It’s important to remember however that although Congressman Rick Larsen is supremely awesome, Swift II needs all of the following:

Complete federal requirements for capital funding (stations and buses), including an environmental impact analysis
Develop plans for a northern terminal near Boeing
Work with the state to develop traffic efficiency improvements across I-5 at 128^th Street
Continue to work with partner cities on infrastructure improvements along route
Get new funding to pay for Swift II operation

So let’s work together, make new allies and get this done. BOO-YEAH!

Community Transit Looks Forward to Brighter 2015

December 27, 2014December 27, 2014 by Bruce Englehardt

The last few years have not been kind to Community Transit or riders in Snohomish County. The Great Recession forced the largest cuts in the agency’s 39-year history, every winter has cancelled Sounder North runs, and the Oso mudslide interrupted bus service to Darrington for several months. Despite these setbacks, Community Transit will be able to welcome 2015 with open arms, with several major events planned.

Sunday and Holiday service restored

Proposed Sunday service (Photo by Community Transit)

This month, the Community Transit Board approved the addition of 27,000 hours of new service, of which 18,000 are to be used on Sundays and holidays. The June 2015 service change, five years to the month after the cuts to Sunday service, will bring hourly Sunday service on major routes and 20-minute headways on Swift.

To fund the new service, Community Transit will be raising their adult and DART fares by 25 cents effective July 1. The increased fare will bring the cost of a round-trip on commuter routes from Marysville, Stanwood and Snohomish to a staggering $11 for adults.

Continue reading “Community Transit Looks Forward to Brighter 2015”

North by Northwest 36 – After-Action Report on Community Transit Public Meeting at Everett Station

December 11, 2014December 12, 2014 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

2014-12-10 Community Transit Meeting @ Everett Station

Slideshow of my photos taken

On 10 December 2014, Community Transit kindly made available fare managers, transit planners and spokespeople to address community concerns regarding their 2015 service & fare increase proposals. I arrived habitually early so as you’ll see in the pictures there wasn’t much of a crowd.

All of the Community Transit staff were kind and helpful in answering questions and taking input. The meeting was staffed by communications staff & transit planners, and attended in the first hour mostly by disabled persons & disability advocates.

I took our questions to the staff and asked questions like:

Why is Community Transit so resistant (not just to me but others…) to providing the Future of Flight & Boeing Tour Center – Snohomish County’s #1 tourist facility with 270,000 annual visitors – with a bus stop?
What can be done about Flying Heritage Collection/FHC – a major tourist attraction at Paine Field – being in something approximating a transit desert?
What will Community Transit do to improve service around Paine Field beyond this service package?

All of these Paine Field transit issues are going to require sidewalks and a “bus pad” to get Community Transit to provide service. This will require Paine Field management – remember, Paine Field is under Snohomish County Government management – to pay for, get permits and build. I did make direct contact with the new Paine Field Airport Director and Paine Field tenant leaders at the Paine Field Open House that evening.

However the Community Transit planner for the region Eric has taken the hike to Future of Flight as I put on YouTube and wants to provide the service. The problem is getting the bus stops built and Community Transit doesn’t normally build bus stops.

Ultimately, if the infrastructure is built, Paine Field between 2016 and 2019 can see some serious growth & restructure in Community Transit service hours. Some of this is because of the Mukilteo Multimodal Terminal currently coming out of the permitting process.

We’ll see what can happen… don’t expect smooth sailing and Blue Angels dancing overhead. Don’t.

How do Swift supporters help Swift II come about?

Community Transit has a state legislative request for a local tax authority raise via state legislative authority and an affirmative public vote to get Swift II going by 2018. It’s important to ask your legislator to authorize the public vote – and regardless of your feelings about voting on taxes (I hear you) it’s the only way to get more transit hours except with relatively small growth spurts for 4-5 years.

Are there plans for a Swift III?

Sorry, I forgot to ask that one.

Any update on a permanent Bernie Webber Park & Ride next to Historic Flight Foundation & the Paine Field Windsock?

Studies to finish up planning and get a lease from Paine Field management are underway for a 2015 target completion date. This Park & Ride will fascinate changes in how Community Transit serves Mukilteo – possibly route restructures.

How are the service improvements you mention going to play out as I didn’t see sample schedules on your Service Proposal webpage? Also could some of route 113 be repurposed to serve the Future of Flight & Historic Flight Foundation at Paine Field?

This will have to wait until the Community Transit Board approves the service changes, then and only after the Board makes any tweaks can sample schedules come out.

Given the severe crisis of Island Transit with no end in sight and genuine concern for Camano Island, any future plans to create an Express Route from Everett Station to/from Stanwood and possibly Camano Island itself?

Requests have been placed for such a service, but Community Transit is in such a deep hole that its unable to provide an express service. Use the 240 then the 201 or 202 for now… especially since 76 percent of Community Transit is paid for by Snohomish County tax revenue.

Given the significant number of Microsoft contractors/vendors who can’t ride the Microsoft Connector, are there any plans to reintroduce commuter service to Microsoft?

No as there really aren’t much requests for a return of Community Transit service to the Microsoft campus.

Since the 201/202’s section between Everett Station and Lynnwood TC is largely duplicating the 512 off-peak would it be possible to trim that back and send the service hours to underserved areas (e.g. Paine Field, Stanwood/Camano)?

This is a potential reform in future Community Transit service changes such as September 2015, to spread the transit net. Especially once Sound Transit Central Link makes it to Lynnwood, which is already approved – but according to Sound Transit’s project website “relies on competing for and receiving significant federal funding”. Community Transit can then repurpose commuter routes’ service hours back into Snohomish County by simply depositing commuters at the Lynnwood Transit Center.

Further review of the Sound Transit Lynnwood Link Project Website notes that 43 minutes is the current time from Lynnwood Transit Center to Downtown Seattle. With the Link extension… 27-29 minutes. Oh and without any congestion in the way of a Double Tall.

Can we keep the good Community Transit connections with the ferries out of Mukilteo? Excited for the new terminal!

Yes.

Okay, serious question: From the word GO until a new Double-Tall is on the road – how long does that take? [In other words, buses or more road lanes for congestion relief?]

At several points we discussed the need for congestion relief. One Community Transit planner said the new lane(s) only last for 5-10 years, and agreed with me that would come after years of environmental impact study and subsequent mitigation. New Double Talls only take 10 months to 2 years to get on the road and can pack almost 80 passengers as per a recent Community Transit press release.

###

North by Northwest View 05 – Last Call for Questions to Community Transit…

December 9, 2014 by Joe "AvgeekJoe" Konzlar

My snap of Everett Station

10 hours to go… then I print out a final list to pack, which I will put into the comment section. But here’s the current list:

Are you guys at Community Transit willing to commit to make genuine changes based on public input given during your public comment process?
Why is Community Transit so resistant (not just to me but others…) to providing the Future of Flight & Boeing Tour Center – Snohomish County’s #1 tourist facility with 270,000 annual visitors – with a bus stop?
What can be done about Flying Heritage Collection/FHC – a major tourist attraction at Paine Field – being in something approximating a transit desert?
What will Community Transit do to improve service around Paine Field beyond this service package?
How do Swift supporters help Swift II come about?
Are there plans for a Swift III?
Any update on a permanent Bernie Webber Park & Ride next to Historic Flight Foundation & the Paine Field Windsock?
How are the service improvements you mention going to play out as I didn’t see sample schedules on your Service Proposal webpage? Also could some of route 113 be repurposed to serve the Future of Flight & Historic Flight Foundation at Paine Field?
Given the severe crisis of Island Transit with no end in sight and genuine concern for Camano Island, any future plans to create an Express Route from Everett Station to/from Stanwood and possibly Camano Island itself?
Given the significant number of Microsoft contractors/vendors who can’t ride the Microsoft Connector, are there any plans to reintroduce commuter service to Microsoft?
Since the 201/202’s section between Everett Station and Lynnwood TC is largely duplicating the 512 off-peak would it be possible to trim that back and send the service hours to underserved areas (e.g. Paine Field, Stanwood/Camano)?
Can we keep the good Community Transit connections with the ferries out of Mukilteo? Excited for the new terminal!
Okay, serious question: From the word GO until a new Double-Tall is on the road – how long does that take?

Don’t know if we’ll get all of these answered but will do my best. Expect a report by Friday evening.

One question I would ask is about extending Sounder North service, however when I do my feature on Sounder North (tentatively last week of December) I will repeat this information from a Sound Transit Community Outreach Corridor Lead Roger Iwata:

…Saw your inquiry and question about how hard would it be to extend Sounder to Mount Vernon. At this time I would say near, if not impossible due to the fact that the Sound Transit taxing district does not extend north beyond Everett so there is no mechanism to approve or raise funding through Sound Transit in Skagit County. So that unfortunately puts the brakes on this before we get to questions about approval/authorization/payments to the railway for the use of the existing tracks, cost for stations and upgrades to the tracks, then ridership and political support for an extension of Sounder North that currently has challenges building ridership in contrast to robust ridership on Sounder South.

That being said, I can appreciate the need for more transit options given the worsening commute in the north corridor including the segment between Seattle and Marysville. Also, there is growing support for an ST3 ballot measure (2016?) and a plan that will likely include a light rail extension to Everett as we currently plan for the light rail extension from Northgate to Lynnwood.

Thought you’d like to know…