Community Transit staff presented several proposed modifications to the June 2010 Service Change Proposal to the board of directors yesterday (Feb. 24). The modifications responded to input received from the public and questions from board members since the proposal was first announced in early January.
These modifications are now part of the service and fare change proposal that will go to the board on March 4 for final consideration and expected adoption. In some cases, there are several options for each modification – including a staff recommended option – which the board will discuss on March 4.
The proposed modifications do not cover all proposed changes that people objected to, but based on public comment they represent those that received the most objections.
North county Boeing service
One modification addresses some issues raised by commuters on Boeing Routes 207/227/247. Both Routes 207 and 247 had been proposed for elimination, and Route 227 would have started and ended at Smokey Point.
In response to concerns that there would not be enough parking in Smokey Point, the modification recommends keeping two roundtrips of Route 247 that would start and end at the Stanwood I Park & Ride lot near I-5. These trips would also serve Marysville residents by stopping at the Ash Avenue Park & Ride southbound and the 4th Avenue flyer stop northbound.
In addition, two roundtrips of Route 227 would begin and end at the Arlington Park & Ride, but would travel a more direct route on SR 530 and Smokey Point Blvd. Route 207 is still proposed for elimination.
Route 412 modification
The original proposal would eliminate the Silver Firs loop from this route on all Route 412 trips. The proposed modification would retain the loop on three roundtrips, yet to be determined. This would allow residents of the Silver Firs neighborhood opportunity to still catch this commuter bus without having to drive and park somewhere else.
Route 414 modification
The original proposal would eliminate Route 414 entirely (16 one-way trips). The proposed modification would retain two morning southbound trips, two afternoon northbound trips and two evening northbound trips. Exact times of those trips are yet to be determined. This modification allows Seattle commuters an option to get into Seattle later in the morning, or back from Seattle at non-peak times.
Route 424 modification
The original proposal would have Route 424 bypass the city of Snohomish, beginning and ending service in Monroe. The modification still has Route 424 bypassing Snohomish, but converts an eastbound out-of-service local bus into Route 275 to take people from Snohomish to Monroe in time to connect with the first morning Route 424 trip.
Because these four modifications cost service hours (and thus, dollars), staff has recommonded a fifth modification to save an equal number of service hours.
Route 101 modification
Seven weekday trips of Route 101 are proposed to be eliminated each weekday, providing 30-minute service rather than 20-minute service along Highway 99 for a three-hour period each weekday. The specific hours of this reduced frequency have yet to be determined. Swift service at this time of day remains at every 10 minutes.
Board members agreed to let these proposed modifications become part of the overall service change proposal they will discuss at their March 4 meeting. At that meeting, board members may raise other aspects of the proposal they would like to open for discussion.
The board meets at 3 p.m. March 4 at the Community Transit Board Room, 7100 Hardeson Road, Everett.
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Seems like reducing the 101 is the best option overall given the significant backbone of Swift along 99.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, 101 is largely redundant with the exception of the 128th segment and as a feeder into the Swift stations. Seems like it would almost be better to increase the headways to 30 minutes throughout the day and channel those service hours into the other local routes.
Swift is a great North-South line, better service East-West along 128th/164th/196th seems more useful than some of the overlapping 99 services.
Here we are again, cutting hours on the 101, forces everybody to take your "wonder bus". What about cutting back the 201/202 routes to every 20 to 30 minutes also. This would also save the company money. No route needs to have every 10 and every 15 minute service.
ReplyDeleteThat's only true if you want every person with access to a car to never think about taking the bus. Which I do and the only routes I really ride are the 10/15 min ones. I'm just not willing to wait 30/60 min if I miss the bus...I'll just drive instead.
ReplyDeleteThe only way people will give up their cars is if the alternatives are fast, frequent, and convenient.
Well, since most of the screaming about the proposal is from people claiming they NEED service (implying they don't have the choice to drive) then reducing every route to a 30 or 60 minute interval would make the most sense.
ReplyDeleteIf we're talking simply about choices, (and you Boeing employees can quit whining, you at least make enough $$ to CHOOSE your transit option. Not my fault if you bought too much house...) then they can still cut every route to 30/60 and those that don't like it can choose to drive.
Problem solved.
If serving people with no options is the goal, then yeah, sure, they'll take what they can get.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in the big picture, unless transit gets people out of their cars, it's a failure...all that money would be better spent on more roads.
But if transit is in fact more efficient, if it moves more people with less infrastructure, then we should be investing in what will make it more appealing than driving. And long wait times doesn't cut it for that.
I'm a new bus rider (because of Swift, actually. And I absolutely have choices. I don't work at Boeing and I only have a small house, but I do have a car. But if transit doesn't work for people like me, it'll fail. Because if everyone keeps driving cars, they'll just eventually decide they don't want to keep paying taxes for CT. And that'd be a shame.
I agree that the 201/202 should have a 30 min headway, especially during midday, midweek. I also think since they want to cut out redundant routes, the 270 and 275 can be eliminated and the 271 can cover everything. Just add a couple more trips.
ReplyDeleteWhat would also solve alot of the problems is if Joyce Eleanor and the Department Directors (who make up to $13k a MONTH) would take a pay cut. When a company is making this many cuts and is in so much debt, how can that kind of wage be justified?! It could save A LOT of payroll and save some service. Or, cut most of the 14 directors since most are not needed anyway(in 2005, there were only 5 Directors. Why so many now?) Joyce Eleanor has said repeatedly that Admin has already cut 12million from their budget and have done 'everything they can'. BULL! It certainly didn't come from their salaries!
ReplyDeleteSo, by all means, cut the very service that CT was created to do and cut the drivers who provide that service!
Well then they better not cut service, because there will be no buses for people to ride. Which only leaves more cars on the road.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that the feedback appears to have had some impact on the way you guys are making cuts. I see that there's three options for the 412 route. None of them appear to be what you describe here (i.e. three loops into Silver Firs). I'd prefer Option C to Option A. Just stopping three routes at the park and ride seems to make the most sense.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that there is a lot of "staging" time at various locations (in front of Safeway on 132nd, at the park and ride, etc). Is this something that has been considered in cutting? I'd be willing to trade off a bit of a loss in consistency (i.e. my bus is occasionally a few minutes late because it wasn't able to stage for 10-15 minutes before starting its route) in tight times over losing local access to downtown bound routes.
ReplyDeleteI think the deal with staging is to keep consistency with departure timepoints. And the problem with eliminating those is you can't count on when the bus is leaving anymore - add to that 30 min (or more) intervals in many cases and you simply make riding the bus into a complete gamble time-wise.
ReplyDeleteReliability is probably the single biggest factor in getting people out of their cars, followed closely by frequency.