Everett, Wash.
Published: Tuesday, October 14, 2008

TRANSIT

Turf wars don't help riders at all

 A lot of talk is being given to the proposal to expand Sound Transit. The idea of better transit is good; the plan is bad. We are asked to put huge amounts of money into an inflexible light rail plan. Sure, they say Everett will get more buses, but where to? The same destination, down I-5 to downtown. If you don't work in downtown Seattle, how does this help?

Community Transit has a great idea to use a "rapid transit" system. Frequently scheduled buses with limited stops. The good news is they will go down Highway 99, where huge numbers of workers go to large rider stops that dot the route, such as Edmonds Community College, Stevens Hospital and Regence Blue-Shield. I was excited when our company relocated close to 99, planning to use transit. I was crushed to find out that because of the isolationist policies of Everett Transit, buses from Community Transit only come into Everett in the morning, and out of Everett in the evening. To travel down to the county line on 99, you have to take Everett Transit to the city limits, where you are dropped off for as long as 20 minutes at a cold wet stop to transfer to Community Transit, but you can't even get a transfer.

This is only one example of the ineptitude of our bus system. If you want transit to work, it must be convenient and easy to use. The time has come to consolidate the bus system together, plan routes that serve people quickly and efficiently, and to quit the turf wars that cripple our transit system.

Bob Bozorth
Everett
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