Community Transit has released a final proposal to broadly restructure bus service in response to the Lynnwood Link light rail extension and boost service hours by about 32%. Unlike King County Metro’s latest bus restructure effort, Community Transit’s proposal would lift all boats due to additional resources from its sales tax increase and service hours that can be reinvested county by the ending of cross-county bus routes.
The proposal is very similar to the one we profiled last summer, but with some changes on the margins to route alignment, better frequencies on many routes, and a tad fewer new routes. However, some aspects of the proposal are paid for with less ambitious frequencies on specific routes than proposed in the last round.
Tentatively, the first phase of the bus restructure appears set to happen in fall 2024 unless Lynnwood Link’s slated mid-2024 opening is delayed. An Eastside-only starter line under consideration for East Link could potentially delay Lynnwood Link to late 2024 due to the agency’s stated need to space out light rail openings by about six months.
Notable changes, benefits, and tradeoffs of the proposal
The proposal would start to build out a more frequent system as Community Transit expands the Swift Blue Line south and opens the new Swift Orange Line from Edmonds Community College to McCollum Park & Ride. Several local bus routes in Southwest Snohomish County would also provide higher frequencies than traditionally offered, such as Routes 102, 103, and 112.
In the summer, Chris Simmons, who is Community Transit’s service planning manager, told The Urbanist that the agency does want to move to an all-day frequent bus network. Operations and maintenance staffing projections are a big obstacle to this at the moment, but as that resolves layering on more service should improve conditions. So for the meantime, the system overall would still have very infrequent service outside core routes, offering frequencies in the 30- and 60-minute range. The agency has a long way to go in building up a semi-frequent network with 15-minute headways.
Nevertheless, an aspect of the system redesign that many riders are sure to like is span of service and weekend service on most routes. Community Transit is proposing to vastly improve in those areas across much of the network.
With the expansion of Link light rail into Snohomish County, the expansive commuter route network into King County is slated to go away. Only one route between Snohomish and Bellevue would remain, though a handful of peak-hour express routes would shuttle riders to Link stations within Snohomish County and the Seaway Transit Center. These express routes would mostly operate from areas north of Lynnwood, such as Stanwood, Marysville, and Lake Stevens.
As should be apparent in the system graphics, many buses would serve Lynnwood Transit Center, Mountlake Terrace Transit Center, and Shoreline North/185th Station, offering a direct connection with the Link 1 and 2 Lines to Seattle, Bellevue, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Routes connecting with those stations include Routes 102, 103, 111, 112, 114, 117, 119, 120, 130, 166, 201, 202, 901, 903, 904, 905, and 909 as well as the Swift Blue and Orange Lines.
Given that Community Transit serves car-oriented suburban areas largely built after the 1970s, the bus network is hard to build out with straighter routes, so some of the routes are a bit clunky and can act as milk runs, at times offering slow and tedious trips. But the agency has attempted to create a reasonably gridded network where possible and connect community destinations.
Also notable is the relative dearth of service in Everett. This has to do with the fact that Everett Transit has not yet merged into Community Transit, but one can easily imagine a more robust network if and when that happens northeast of Airport Road.
Proposed changes and opportunity to engage on the proposal
The summary of the proposed system redesign follows in the table below. The story continues after the table.
| Route/Line | Weekdays | Saturdays | Sundays | Notes |
| Blue Line | 4:00am to 6:00am every 15 minutes, 6:00am to 7:00pm every 10 minutes, and 7:00pm to 11:30pm every 15 minutes | 5:00am to 7:00pm every 15 minutes and 7:00pm to 11:00pm every 20 minutes | 7:00am to 6:00pm every 10 minutes and 6:00am to 9:00pm every 20 minutes | Line extended to Shoreline North/185th Station |
| Green Line | 4:15am to 6:00am every 15 minutes, 6:00am to 7:00pm every 10 minutes, and 7:00pm to 11:00pm every 20 minutes | 6:00am to 10:00pm every 20 minutes | 7:00am to 9:00pm every 20 minutes | No changes to current line |
| Orange Line | 4:00am to 6:00am every 15 minutes, 6:00am to 7:00pm every 10 minutes, and 7:00pm to 11:30pm every 20 minutes | 6:00am to 8:00am every 20 minutes, 8:00am to 9:00pm every 15 minutes, and 9:00pm to 11:00pm every 20 minutes | 7:00am to 9:00pm every 20 minutes | New line from Edmonds College to McCollum Park Park & Ride via Lynnwood Transit Center and Mill Creek |
| 101 | 5:15am to 10:45pm every 30 minutes | 6:00am to 9:00pm every 30 minutes | 7:00am to 9:00pm every 30 minutes | No changes to current route, but the frequency is better than the previous proposal |
| 102 | 5:00am to 7:00pm every 20 minutes and 7:00pm to 10:00pm every 30 minutes | 6:00am to 10:00pm every 30 minutes | 7:00am to 9:00pm every 30 minutes | New route from Downtown Edmonds to Lynnwood Transit Center and the frequency and days of service are better than the previous proposal |
| 103 | 4:30am to 6:00am every 30 minutes, 6:00am to 7:00pm every 20 minutes, and 7:00pm to 11:00pm every 30 minutes | 6:00am to 11:00pm every 30 minutes | 7:00am to 10:00pm every 30 minutes | New route from Seaway Transit Center to Lynnwood Transit Center and the frequency and span of service are better than the previous proposal |
| 105 | None | None | None | Replaced by 106, 109, 120, 121 and Swift Green and Orange Lines; in the previous proposal, this route was proposed to be retained |
| 106 | 5:30am to 9:30am every 30 minutes, 9:30am to 2:30pm every 60 minutes, 2:30pm to 6:30pm every 30 minutes, and 6:30pm to 10:30pm every 60 minutes | 6:00am to 10:00pm every 60 minutes | 7:00am to 9:00pm every 60 minutes | The route would be slightly adjusted in Bothell to serve Bothell Way and weekday frequencies would be better than today |
| 107 | None | None | None | Replaced by Routes 103 and 902 |
| 109 | 5:00am to 6:00am every 60 minutes, 6:00am to 9:00am every 30 minutes, 9:00am to 2:00pm every 60 minutes, 2:00pm to 6:00pm every 30 minutes, and 6:00pm to 10:00pm every 60 minutes | 7:00am to 9:00pm every 60 minutes | 8:00am to 8:00pm every 60 minutes | No change to current route (this route was proposed for replacement in the previous proposal) and weekday frequencies and weekend service would be better than today |
| 111 | Two trips each way would be retained for peak service | None | None | This route would run from Mountlake Terrace Transit Center to Brier |
| 112 | 6:00am to 6:00pm every 20 minutes and 6:00pm to 9:00pm every 30 minutes | 7:00am to 7:00pm every 30 minutes and 7:00pm to 9:00pm every 60 minutes | 7:15am to 6:15pm every 30 minutes and 6:15pm to 9:15pm every 60 minutes | No change to current route, but frequencies would be better than the previous proposal |
| 113 | None | None | None | Replaced by Routes 103 and 902 |
| 114 | 5:15am to 7:15pm every 30 minutes and 7:15pm to 10:15pm every 60 minutes | 5:45am to 9:45pm every 60 minutes | 7:00am to 8:00pm every 60 minutes | New route from Lynnwood Transit Center to Aurora Village Transit Center and better frequency and span of service than the previous proposal |
| 115 | None | None | None | Replaced by the Swift Orange Line and Routes 105, 114, and 166 |
| 116 | None | None | None | Replaced by New Route 166 |
| 117 | 5:00am to 7:00pm every 30 minutes and 7:00pm to 11:00pm every 60 minutes | 6:00am to 7:00pm every 30 minutes and 7:00pm to 10:00pm every 60 minutes | 7:00am to 9:00pm every 30 minutes | New route from Mukilteo Station to Lynnwood Transit Center |
| 119 | 5:40am to 6:42am every 30 minutes and 6:42am to 9:40pm every 60 minutes | 6:30am to 9:30pm every 60 minutes | 8:30am to 8:30pm every 60 minutes | No change to current route, but improved weekday frequencies proposed |
| 120 | 5:30am to 7:30pm every 30 minutes and 7:30pm to 11:00pm every 60 minutes | 6:00am to 7:00pm every 30 minutes and 7:00pm to 9:00pm every 60 minutes | 7:00am to 7:00pm every 30 minutes and 7:00pm to 8:00pm every 60 minutes | The route would be extended to Edmonds College and UW Bothell/Cascadia College from its current termini and see improved frequencies |
| 121 | 5:00am to 8:00am every 30 minutes, 8:00am to 2:00pm every 60 minutes, 2:00pm to 6:00pm every 30 minutes, and 6:00pm to 10:00pm every 60 minutes | 6:00am to 10:00pm every 60 minutes | 7:00am to 9:00pm every 60 minutes | New route from Ash Way Park & Ride to UW Bothell/Cascadia College via Canyon Park |
| 130 | 5:30am to 7:30pm every 30 minutes and 7:30pm to 10:00pm every 60 minutes | 6:00am to 6:00pm every 30 minutes and 6:00pm to 10pm every 60 minutes | 7:0am to 6:00pm every 30 minutes and 6:00pm to 9:00pm every 60 minutes | The route would be adjusted to serve 100th Avenue W instead of 5th Avenue S in Downtown Edmonds and dense portions of SR 104 |
| 132 | None | None | None | In the previous proposal, this was to be a new route from Lake Stevens Transit Center to Mariner Park & Ride via Cathcart, but Route 109 would serve this routing instead |
| 166 | 4:47am to 7:00pm every 30 minutes and 7:00pm to 11:00pm every 60 minutes | 6:00am to 7:00pm every 30 minutes and 7:00pm to 10:00pm every 60 minutes | 7:00am to 6:00pm every 30 minutes and 6:00pm to 9:00pm every 60 minutes | New route replacing Routes 116 and 196 |
| 196 | None | None | None | Replaced by New Route 166 |
| 201 | 4:45am to 6:15am every 60 minutes, 6:15am to 7:00pm every 30 minutes, and 7:00pm to 10:00pm every 30 minutes | 6:30am to 9:15pm every 60 minutes | 7:30am to 9:15pm every 60 minutes | No changes to route, but weekday evening frequencies are a little less than proposed in the previous proposal |
| 202 | 5:03am to 6:35pm every 30 minutes and 6:35pm to 9:31pm every 60 minutes | 5:45am to 9:45pm every 60 minutes | 7:45am to 8:45pm every 60 minutes | Slight alignment change to route in Arlington and weekday evening frequencies are a little less than proposed in the previous proposal |
| 209 | 5:15am to 8:15am every 30 minutes, 8:15am to 2:15pm every 60 minutes, 2:15pm to 6:15pm every 30 minutes, and 6:15pm to 8:15pm every 60 minutes | 7:00am to 9:00pm every 60 minutes | 8:00am to 8:00pm every 60 minutes | No changes to route, but weekday frequencies are better than the previous proposal |
| 220 | 5:00am to 10:00pm every 60 minutes | 6:15am to 9:15pm every 60 minutes | 7:15am to 8:15pm every 60 minutes | No changes to route, but span of service is better than the previous proposal |
| 222 | 5:00am to 8:00am every 30 minutes, 8:00am to 2:00pm every 60 minutes, 2:00pm to 7:00pm every 30 minutes, and 7:00pm to 9:00pm every 60 minutes | 7:15am to 10:30pm every 60 minutes | 7:30am to 7:15pm every 60 minutes | The route would be greatly simplified in Quil Ceda Village and Marysville by eliminating mid-route loops and tails and the span of service and frequency are better than the previous proposal |
| 223 | 5:30am to 10:30pm every 60 minutes | 7:15am to 9:30pm every 60 minutes | 7:30am to 7:15pm every 60 minutes | New route picking up loops and tails of Route 222 in Quil Ceda Village and Marysville and the span of service is better than previous proposal |
| 227 | None | None | None | Replaced by New Route 907 |
| 230 | Two trips per day each way | None | None | No changes to route |
| 240 | 5:02am to 7:24am every 75 minutes and 7:24am to 9:25pm every 60 minutes | 7:45am to 9:45pm every 60 minutes | 7:46am to 8:52pm every 60 minutes | No changes to route, but better span of service than the previous proposal |
| 247 | None | None | None | Replaced by New Route 907 |
| 270 | 5:45am to 8:18pm every 60 minutes | None | None | No changes to route, but better span of service than the previous proposal |
| 271 | 5:32am to 8:55pm every 60 minutes | 7:04am to 7:58pm every 60 minutes | 7:00am to 7:45pm every 60 minutes | No changes to route |
| 280 | 6:02am to 8:54pm every 30 minutes, except every 60 minutes between Lake Stevens and Granite Falls | 7:58am to 7:58 pm every 60 minutes | 7:58am to 7:58pm every 60 minutes | No changes to route |
| 402 | None | None | None | Replaced by Link |
| 405 | None | None | None | Replaced by Link and Route 102 |
| 410 | None | None | None | Replaced by Link and Routes 201 and 202 |
| 412 | None | None | None | Replaced by Link and New Route 901 |
| 413 | None | None | None | Replaced by the Swift Orange Line, Link, and Routes 166, 201, and 202 |
| 415 | None | None | None | Replaced by the Swift Orange Line, Link, and Routes 103, 166, 201, and 202 |
| 416 | None | None | None | Replaced by New Route 909 |
| 417 | None | None | None | Replaced by New Route 902 |
| 421 | None | None | None | Replaced by New Routes 904 and 905 |
| 422 | None | None | None | Replaced by New Route 905 |
| 424 | None | None | None | Replaced by New Routes 901 and 908 |
| 425 | None | None | None | Replaced by New Route 903 |
| 435 | None | None | None | Replaced by Link and Routes 105 and 906 |
| 810 | None | None | None | Replaced by Swift Orange Line, Link, and Routes 130, 201, and 202 |
| 821 | None | None | None | Replaced by New Routes 904 and 095 |
| 860 | None | None | None | Replaced by Swift Orange Line, Link, and Routes 132, 201, and 202 |
| 871 | None | None | None | Replaced by Link and Routes 102 and 130 |
| 880 | None | None | None | Replaced by New Route 902 |
| 901 | 5:00am to 7:00pm every 30 minutes in the peak direction | None | None | New route from Puget Park to Lynnwood Transit Center via McCollum Park Park & Ride replacing Routes 109, 412, and 424 and better span of service than the previous proposal |
| 902 | None | None | Noe | In the previous proposal, this was to be a new route from Mukilteo Station to Lynnwood Transit Center replacing Routes 107, 113, 417, and 880 |
| 903 | 5:10am to 7:00pm every 30 minutes in the peak direction | None | None | New route from Lake Stevens Transit Center to Lynnwood Transit Center replacing Route 425 and better span of service than the previous proposal |
| 904 | 4:34am to 7:47pm every 30 minutes in the peak direction | None | None | New route from Marysville to Lynnwood Transit Center replacing Routes 421 and 821 and better span of service than the previous proposal |
| 905 | 5:05am to 8:05am every 30 minutes and 8:05am to 10:15pm every 60 minutes | None | None | New route from Stanwood to Lynnwood Transit Center via I-5 replacing Routes 421, 422, and 821 and better frequency than the previous proposal |
| 906 | None | None | None | In the previous proposal, this was to be new route from McCollum Park Park-and-Ride to Canyon Park Park-and-Ride replacing Routes 106 and 435 |
| 907 | 4:00am to 5:45am and 3:30pm to 5:00pm every 30 minutes in the peak direction | None | None | New route from Stanwood I-5 Park & Ride to Seaway Transit Center replacing Routes 227 and 247 |
| 908 | 5:10am to 7:40am and 3:20pm to 5:40pm every 30 minutes in the peak direction | None | None | New route from Snohomish to Bellevue Transit Center via Monroe replacing Route 424 and with shorter span of service than the previous proposal |
| 909 | 5:20am to 11:45pm every 50 minutes | 5:50am to 11:45pm every 50 minutes | 7:00am to 11:45pm every 50 minutes | New route from Edmonds Station to Mountlake Terrace Transit Center replacing Route 416 and lower frequency but better span of service and days of service than the previous proposal |
The timing of when the Lynnwood Link extension will be delivered is in flux, but Community Transit plans to implement system and service changes in phases from 2024 through 2026. The agency has cautioned that some of the changes may be implemented at lower-than-desired frequencies until bus operators can be hired, but the phased nature of the plan should mitigate some of this. Community Transit is accepting feedback on the proposal through March 4th.
Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.