PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson Transit has proposed service changes such as cutting the downtown shuttle and retaining but paring back Sunday service.
Such proposals in the transit system’s overall services come after 10 public meetings since June 2008 that generated dozens of public comments.
“I think we’re down on the home stretch now,” said Jefferson Transit General Manager Dave Turissini.
Transit has scheduled three public meetings Sept. 9. They will be from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Pope Marine Building in Port Townsend, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Just Ask Rental training room, across Ness Corner Road from Hadlock Building Supply, and from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Pope Marine Building.
More public hearings
Before changes in the service plan are approved by the Jefferson Transit Authority Board, transit staff will conduct a public hearing at the regular Jefferson Transit Authority Board meeting Oct. 20.
Changes would be put into effect in January 2010.
Much of transit’s feedback came from people commuting to jobs, he said, so a new commuter line has been developed between Port Townsend, the Tri Area and Port Ludlow.
“The whole paradigm is shifting,” Turissini said. “More and more people are using transit to get to work. Riding the bus makes sense.”
He said that high gas prices and the economic downturn have forced people to cut back costs — and that includes opting to take public transportation rather than drive a private vehicle.
A $36 monthly transit pass gets riders on all scheduled buses to points inside or outside Jefferson County, even to Poulsbo.
Transit’s priorities are first to get commuters in Jefferson County to county locations, second to get those riders to locations outside Jefferson County, then all other riders, Turissini said.
The September public meetings will give transit leaders a chance to discuss and receive feedback about proposed route changes.
Sunday service
“The big question up in the air is what to do for Sunday,” Turissini said, adding that Jefferson Transit is the only Sunday service provided on the Olympic and Kitsap peninsulas. All other transit agencies in the region have cut Sunday service.
The present proposal is to do away with fixed route service on Sunday, but with Dial-A-Ride service provided between 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Turissini emphasized that the decision has not been made.
“We are looking at doing some reduction in service on Sunday,” he said.
Streamline service
The agency’s comprehensive service planning process of last year has been blended with a plan to streamline service.
Over the past year, Jefferson Transit has received public input through Internet and on-board surveys, public meetings and customer comments by phone, mail and e-mail about current community needs in terms of public transportation.
Proposed in great part as a result of public comments are the following service changes:
• The Saturday Brinnon route would be retained for morning and evening trips only, with the mid-day run cut and re-timed for quick connection to Mason Transit south on U.S. Highway 101.
• In-town routing would be reduced from four to two routes while providing the same level of coverage area.
• The southwest connector would be rerouted from Cherry Street to Fir Street.
• The northwest connector would be routed to service the Castle Hill and Jefferson Healthcare hospital area prior to ending downtown and uptown.
Retained would be the 2:05 p.m. Brinnon run, the Sequim 11:45 a.m. Monday-through-Friday route, the Saturday connection that allows one to travel from Port Townsend to Forks and return the same day, and Saturday Poulsbo trips, which have been timed for quick connection with the Kitsap 90 and 32 routes.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
