EVERETT – It will take $17 million, but by 2011, Everett Transit will have 11 new buses, five new vans and a North Everett Transit Center.
Two dozen buses, a dozen vans and 80 bus shelters will be replaced between now and 2011.
Everett Transit will present its six-year plan to the Everett City Council on Wednesday morning during a public hearing. The council will not vote on the plan, but will accept the proposal and allow Everett Transit officials to submit it to state officials by the April 1 deadline.
The plan is updated every year, as required by the state, Everett Transit Transportation Systems Manager Tom Hingson said. Much of this year’s plan has been detailed in previous plans.
The $17 million budget is a sign of improvement after years of uncertainty. Everett Transit’s share of state sales tax collection hovered at 0.3 percent between 1978 and 2004, when a vote increased it to 0.6 percent, essentially six cents on a $10 purchase.
When the initiative passed, transit officials promised to restore previously slashed services and also to expand the city’s bus system.
Most of the $17 million comes from sales tax revenue, Hingson said. Everett Transit’s total budget is more than $20 million – up $4 million from last year. By 2011, transit officials expect to have a budget of $30 million, mostly from sales tax revenue.
“We get a very small percentage – probably less than 10 percent – from the fare box,” Hingson said.
Everett Transit will purchase three new buses this year. Eight vans and six buses will be replaced, and transit officials hope to purchase land for the North Everett Transit Center, which is scheduled to open near Everett Community College next year.
Ridership is expected to increase by about 2 percent each year, Hingson said.
The plan echoes the city’s Transportation Comprehensive Plan, Councilman Mark Olson said.
“The changes now are fairly incremental,” he said. “The big change was the additional sales tax.”
Reporter Krista J. Kapralos: 425-339-3422 or kkapralos @heraldnet.com.
Council meeting
The Everett City Council will meet at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday in council chambers at 3002 Wetmore Ave.
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