[nfbwatlk] Fw: Construction to Begin on Swift Bus Rapid Transit

Thu Nov 13 20:23:10 UTC 2008

Construction to Begin on Swift Bus Rapid Transit
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Community Transit 
To: jacobstruiksma at gmail.com 
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 11:31 AM
Subject: Construction to Begin on Swift Bus Rapid Transit

Construction to Begin on Swift Bus Rapid Transit
Thu, 13 Nov 2008 02:00:00 -0600

Community meetings Nov. 18 and 20 will detail construction schedule

Snohomish County, Wash. - Community Transit is set to begin construction on 24 Swift bus rapid transit stations along the Highway 99 corridor in Snohomish County on Dec.3. A construction schedule will be discussed at two community meetings on Nov. 18 and 20.

The 17-mile Swift route is scheduled to begin operation in fall 2009 between Everett Station in downtown Everett and the Aurora Village Transit Center in Shoreline. Swift will be the first bus rapid transit line in Washington state, providing 10-minute service with a focus on rapid boarding at specific stations along the corridor.

"Bus rapid transit works best on a high density corridor to move large numbers of people quickly between major destinations," said Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor. "Swift will fly down the busiest corridor in Snohomish County, providing a reliable and convenient transit option for local residents, workers, shoppers and students."

Construction of the 24 stations - 12 in each direction - and a terminal at Aurora Village, will take place in two phases over a period of about six months. First, crews will dig trenches, locate utilities and pour 10-foot by 60-foot cement pads behind the sidewalk at each location. Then, work will begin to erect each station. Everett Transit, which is a funding partner in the project, will pay for renovation of Everett Station next year to accommodate a new Swift terminal there.

The stations will feature ticket vending machines to collect fares prior to boarding and "next-bus arrival" signs to indicate how many minutes until the next Swift bus. Waiting riders will not need a schedule.

Swift will provide faster service on the corridor by:
 stopping at fewer locations - 12 stations each direction compared to about 60 local bus stops each way;
 off-board fare collection so riders do not have to line up to pay on the bus;
 boarding at three doors; and
 transit signal priority to give Swift buses a slightly longer green light or shorter red light at intersections.

Transit signal priority already exists on 10 miles of the southern route, while the city of Everett will install the technology within the city limits.

The groundbreaking at 11 a.m. on Dec. 3 will take place at the intersection of Highway 99 and Airport Road, the southern Everett city line. Every day, hundreds of bus passengers routinely cross the busy highway to switch between Community Transit and Everett Transit buses as this is the boundary of both agencies' service districts. Swift will provide a one-seat bus ride across that boundary.

"Swift represents a new era for public transportation in Snohomish County," said Eleanor.

Community Transit is reaching out to businesses and residents along the corridor to let them know about the pending construction. Last week, the agency sent out a postcard to 44,000 addresses along the route announcing the construction and inviting people to attend the community meetings.

Staff will discuss the project at the meetings, and there will be a brief, formal presentation about Swift once an hour. The meetings will take place:

Tuesday, Nov. 18
6 - 8 p.m.
Snohomish County PUD - Edmonds
21018 Highway 99, Edmonds

Thursday, Nov. 20
1 - 3 p.m.
Everett Station, Weyerhaueser Room
3201 Smith Avenue, Everett

Information about Swift, including construction updates once construction starts, is available online at www.communitytransit.org/swift. At that website, people can also sign up to receive electronic alerts about Swift to their email account or text messages to their cell phone or mobile devices.

Community Transit strives to help Puget Sound commuters think transit first. With an electronic alert system for instant rider information and one of the nation's first double decker transit buses, the agency is a leader in finding new ways to make alternative transportation an attractive option. Call Community Transit at (425) 353-RIDE or (800) 562-1375 for bus information, or (888) 814-1300 for carpool or vanpool information, or go to www.communitytransit.org.

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