The value of mass transit depends mostly on how many people use it. Voters here have supported it consistently, knowing that having fewer single-occupant cars on the road eases everyone’s commute.

That’s why the opening of the state’s first direct access ramp last week – allowing buses, vanpools and carpools to connect directly to I-5 from the Lynnwood Transit Center – is an achievement worth noting. It promises to get more cars off the freeway by making transit more attractive.

Anyone who has traversed Alderwood Mall Way or 200th Avenue W. during rush hour knows how aggravatingly slow traffic can be. It’s no better in a bus or a carpool. By providing direct access to the Park &Ride lot, bus and carpool riders avoid that congestion, shaving a few minutes off their commute each day. When a similar ramp to the north, at I-5 and Ash Way, opens next year, the north-south bus trips will be even shorter. A third transit center and direct-access ramp is planned at 112th Street SE in south Everett, and could open in 2007.

The hope is that reliably shorter trips will induce more commuters to choose transit, which benefits everyone by reducing freeway congestion and pollution, and lowers business costs by allowing goods to move more efficiently.

The fact that the Lynnwood ramp came in ahead of schedule and under budget is a welcome bonus, one that speaks well of Sound Transit and the state Department of Transportation, which combined forces on the project. Both have been the subject of valid criticism in the past, and both have responded with a commitment to cost-effectiveness, creative solutions and accountability.

Bus transit is worth a try if you commute between Snohomish and King counties. It’s affordable, comfortable and more convenient than ever. It takes a small investment of patience and attention the first time you use it, but once you’ve learned the basics, it’s easy. If you feel intimidated by all the schedules and route numbers, try it first on a day off, when your own pace is more relaxed. And remember that Sounder train service, which includes breathtaking views at no extra charge, is offered each weekday from Everett Station and Edmonds to Seattle.

Alternatives to driving are out there, and they’re getting more attractive. It’s just a matter of giving them a try.