LAKE STEVENS – One of Snohomish County’s fastest growing communities now will get its own park-and-ride.
Community Transit broke ground Wednesday on the Lake Stevens Transit Center, located near the intersection of Highway 9 and Highway 204.
“This is something that we’ve always been looking for,” said Lake Stevens Mayor Lynn Walty, vice chairman of the CT board. “It’s five to eight years late, but it’s better late than never.”
The Lake Stevens area grew from a population of 13,911 in 1990 to 26,828 in 2002, according to Snohomish County figures. Only Monroe and Arlington grew faster during that time.
Including land acquisition, the center will cost $5 million. It should be completed by December. It will include 208 parking spaces, up to six bus bays and two pedestrian platforms.
Perhaps more important, a new commuter route to Seattle will be started as soon as the facility opens. The community’s existing two bus routes will use the transit center as a transfer point.
“This park-and-ride is one more step in Community Transit’s effort to reduce congestion in our community,” said U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., a former Lake Stevens resident who attended the groundbreaking.
The new transit center will be Snohomish County’s 22nd. The number of CT commuter routes will increase to 29 when the center is complete. The agency also operates 32 local bus routes.
Reporter Lukas Velush: 425-339-3449 or lvelush@heraldnet.com.
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