Community Transit has implemented a small spring service change, affecting a number of routes operating within and from Snohomish County. A total of seven routes are affected by the changes, with the most significant of these being the retirement of an express commuter route between the city of Snohomish and Downtown Seattle.
Last week, Community Transit operated its last bus trip to Seattle with the express commuter Route 424. The route had been a holdover following the extension of 2 Line light rail service between Seattle and Bellevue in late March. The route operated from Snohomish to Downtown Seattle via SR-522, I-405, and SR-520. However, it was permanently retired at the conclusion of service on Friday.
To partially replace the service, Community Transit has launched a similar peak-hour, peak-direction weekday service run from Snohomish Park-and-Ride to Downtown Bellevue via SR-522 and I-405. New Route 908 serves major intermediate stops at Monroe Park-and-Ride, the 132nd Avenue NE freeway stop along SR 522 in Woodinville, Bothell Park-and-Ride, and the Totem Lake freeway stop along I-405 in Kirkland; numerous local stops are located in Snohomish, Monroe, and Bothell.
Trips on the route more than double the service of Route 424, offering riders a total of five morning and five evening trips with connections to the Link 2 Line near the Bellevue Downtown station. The service will provide riders with a more direct option to Bellevue and enhanced frequency, but travel times to Seattle will noticeably increase – 15 minutes or more – due to the required time to transfer to light rail.
In addition, Community Transit is implementing several other service adjustments due to construction and ridership patterns.
The Washington State Department of Transportation is constructing a new direct access ramp to the I-405 express toll lanes from the Canyon Park Park-and-Ride in Bothell. That construction work will affect the park-and-ride facility over the next two years.
Community Transit is advising riders to arrive at Canyon Park at least five minutes earlier than scheduled bus arrival times. Official scheduled times aren’t changing, but they are now being treated as estimates due to variable impacts from construction activities. The Canyon Park advisory affects Community Transit Routes 106, 120, and 121 as well as Sound Transit Routes 532 and 535, which are operated by Community Transit.
When the construction project is completed, riders will benefit from a new Swift Green Line stop on 17th Avenue SE, a new pedestrian bridge across I-405, freeway stops for Sound Transit’s forthcoming Stride S2 Line, and localized pedestrian and bike improvements.
In Everett, the Eastmont Park-and-Ride near I-5 has been closed, which the agency has attributed to declining rider demand. Sound Transit’s Route 513 operated by Community Transit had been the only remaining Eastmont service after years of service cutbacks. However, the route is now skipping the stop.
For replacement service, the nearest freeway stop is at the South Everett Park-and-Ride, which is about one mile south and served by express Routes 510, 512, 903, 904, and 905 as well as local Routes 8 and 29.
Andrew Engelson
