EVERETT — Community Transit’s Board of Directors approved an annual update to its six-year plan on Thursday, paving the way for increases in service and deployment of new electric buses.
The state requires transit agencies to create six-year Transit Development Plans and update them every year. This year’s update comes during a period of big change for the Snohomish County transit agency, as it has recently reorganized routes around Link light rail, plans to expand its popular bus rapid transit network and has goals for fleet electrification in the coming decades.
In the plan, Community Transit says it’s expected to increase bus service by 39% by 2030. At the same time, ridership is expected to jump by 82% as ridership numbers continue to bounce back after drop-offs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two Swift bus rapid transit projects are also expected to be built by 2031. A smaller project is an expansion of the Swift Green Line that will connect the University of Washington Bothell campus to the Boeing factory in south Everett. The major expansion is the brand-new 15-mile Swift Gold Line, set to connect Arlington to Everett through Marysville.
The agency also planned for an initial deployment phase of electric buses starting in 2027. By 2030, Community Transit hopes to have 30% of its fleet made up of electric vehicles, the plan reads.
“In the next six years, we’ll deliver more bus service – in terms of both hours and routes – and we’ll explore new ways to connect people with transit, so they’ll have better choices as they move around the community,” Community Transit CEO Ric Ilgenfritz wrote in a release Friday. “Most importantly, the Transit Development Plan reflects the diverse needs of our Snohomish County residents, from big-city commuters to students to rural riders, to name just a few.”
The Transit Development Plan is guided by the agency’s 25-year long range plan that was approved in 2023. That plan aims for a zero emission fleet by 2044.
Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.
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