It’s the most popular route that Community Transit offers.
Every month, 125,000 people board Swift buses — about one in six Community Transit passengers — along the route that runs between Everett Station and Aurora Village in Shoreline, mostly on Highway 99.
Now, the transit agency is considering adding a second line called Swift 2 that would be between Bothell and the Boeing plant at Paine Field.
“Boeing has had a big issue with parking for a long time,” said Martin Munguia, Community Transit spokesman. “They would certainly like to have better transit or more transit to their facility.”
A second Swift route would cross with the first one and add a key east-west route, said Mill Creek City Councilman Mike Todd, who is chairman of the Community Transit board.
“It makes an awful lot of sense,” Todd said. “The two of them working together will be awfully slick.”
For that to happen, Community Transit needs to find money to pay for the new Swift buses and stations and also pay to operate the buses. The transit agency already gets the maximum amount allowed under state law for sales tax revenue at 0.9 percent or 9 cents on every $10 purchase.
The agency plans to ask the Legislature this next session to move the maximum up to 0.3 percent higher. Then, Community Transit would need to ask the voters to approve a tax increase, Munguia said.
If the Legislature and the voters agree, Community Transit would then ask for a $45 million grant from the federal government to buy 12 Swift buses and build all the stations.
The first Swift line started five years ago on Nov. 30, 2009, and is part of a trend in transit agencies called rapid transit lines. The lines guarantee service every 15 minutes, but space out stations farther apart.
Riders must pay before they board or be left behind. Curbs and the buses are designed so that people in wheelchairs can get on and off quickly and easily.
“It is our highest ridership line,” Munguia said. “It is extremely productive. We offer service from 5 in the morning until 10 p.m.”
The Swift 2 line is tentatively planned from Canyon Park &Ride in Bothell north along the Bothell-Everett Highway to 132nd Street and then east to Paine Field. The exact locations of the stations haven’t been decided.
The new route line has a couple of advantages.
Part of the route already has what are called “business access transit lanes” where cars and trucks need to turn right, but buses can continue straight.
And the entire route is getting what is called “transit signal priority” that will allow light signals to stay green for an extra few seconds if a bus is near.
Those help the buses remain on time.
The first Swift line is about 17 miles long. The Swift 2 line is a little bit shorter at 12 1/2 miles long.
One of the keys to the project is Community Transit has already identified a bus turnaround area near Boeing and all of the manufacturing in the area.
The property is owned by Snohomish County PUD, which has been in discussions about selling the land to Community Transit. That turnaround area could be used not only by the Swift 2 line, but other transit agencies, Todd said.
Getting voters to agree to a tax increase will be difficult, Todd said. Still drivers are getting impatient with longer and longer transit times.
“I think people are starting to get it that if you can get people on the bus you’re getting them off the roads,” Todd said. “And we have some roads around here that are at ultimate capacity.”
Light rail is planned to extend into Snohomish County. And there has been some talk about bringing a light rail line to Paine Field. But that is years in the future, Todd said. A second Swift line could be up and running in a couple of years.
“The more I’ve heard about it and the more I’ve studied it, this would be a fantastic expansion to the system,” Todd said.
Celebrate Swift
Community Transit is celebrating the five-year anniversary of its popular Swift line. The transit agency plans to give out chocolate to riders Tuesday and will hold a photo contest for riders on the bus to win a Community Transit scarf. To learn more, go to the Swift page at communitytransit.org/swift.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
