About:Whatcom Transit Authority/service change/3-19-2017
Whatcom Transit Authority 3-19-2017
New Service and Changes to Service
As of March 19, 2017
WTA recently completed a Strategic Planning process. During the process, WTA worked with its riders, employees, Board of Directors, community members and organizational partners to create a plan for expanding bus service. The plan was approved by WTA’s Board of Directors in October 2016, and will take effect in March 2017.
Here is an overview of the major improvements and changes:
New Sunday service to several small cities. For the first time, WTA offers service seven days a week to Lynden, Ferndale, Kendall, Lummi Nation/Gooseberry Point and Sudden Valley.
Later evening service on weekdays to several small cities. Based on requests from our riders and community, Lynden, Ferndale, Kendall, Lummi Nation/Gooseberry Point and Sudden Valley now have least one additional trip on weekday evenings.
Increased service to Blaine/Birch Bay on weekdays. Riders from Blaine/Birch Bay worked closely with WTA staff, especially during open houses, to craft changes to service in Blaine/Birch Bay.
New and expanded service to several areas. WTA identified several areas that warranted new service. These include Airport Way, Cordata Parkway, Fraser Street/Puget Street, James Street, Lakeway Drive, portions of Telegraph Road, Silver Beach neighborhood, Walmart, Ferndale, Mount Vernon.
Changes to many routes and schedules, to simplify and improve service. These changes are at WWU, elsewhere in Bellingham, and in small cities and rural areas.
Elimination of service to Custer and Grandview Industrial Park. WTA has discontinued service to these areas due to low ridership, and to redirect resources to other areas.
Service reduced to some areas, including 32nd Street, the Target stop at Bellis Fair Mall, Cottonwood Avenue, the Happy Valley neighborhood, Maplewood Avenue, Old Fairhaven Parkway, Samish Way/Ellis Street, State Street/Boulevard, Stuart Road, portions of Telegraph Road, the Tweed Twenty neighborhood, Westerly Road, and Woburn Street.
Changes to routes, route names and route numbers for WWU. While service levels remain largely the same, WTA changed many route names and numbers to make WWU service easier to understand.
“Downgrading “the RED Line and reinstituting the PLUM Line. While the GO Line system as a whole is performing extremely well, ridership on the RED Line did not warrant such frequent service. Route 401 (formerly the RED Line) has been reduced to three trips per hour. Its name has also changed, from Route 401 to Route 1. The PLUM Line returns to its former level of service—a bus every 15 minutes on weekdays.
