PORT ANGELES — The Clallam Transit System board on Wednesday approved a resolution authorizing major service and route changes, including an overhaul of Port Angeles in-town routes, extended evening hours and two pilot routes.
The changes in Port Angeles will shift most in-town service from circular loops to more linear, back-and-forth patterns.
Service hours will be extended primarily in the evening. Operations Manager Taron Lee noted that Route 22 previously stopped running at 6 p.m. and will now operate later, with the final trip returning close to 8 p.m.
The pilot routes will serve the Lower Elwha area and Deer Park. Lee said the Deer Park route is intended to support roughly 15-minute service intervals along U.S. Highway 101.
“We took both sides of the county and really made sure that you could go from one direction to the other within the same day,” Lee said.
Schedules also were adjusted to create consistent “clock-facing” departure times.
“If they leave at noon and 12:30, they’ll leave at five and 5:30,” Lee said.
The route changes build on a Comprehensive Operations Analysis completed in August 2021, which recommended aligning routes, stops and service frequency to better match rider demand and improve efficiency.
Implementation began in 2022 with microtransit service in Forks and Sequim.
A public hearing on the service changes was held last month. Lee said staff also conducted outreach workshops in Forks, Sequim and Port Angeles.
The changes are expected to launch March 16, pending completion of CDL testing for trainees and the agency reaching required staffing levels.
In separate action, the board appointed a special committee to develop recommendations for establishing a community advisory committee.
The board has discussed creating a formal advisory structure to provide more community input for some time. Mark Ozias referenced a 2022 state law requiring certain public transportation benefit areas to establish advisory committees that included rider representatives.
The subcommittee — Rachel Anderson of Sequim; Mike French of Clallam County; Jeff Gingell of Forks; and Amy Miller of the City of Port Angeles — will draft proposed guidelines, bylaws and recruitment strategies and bring recommendations to the board no later than its May 20 meeting.
Executive Director Jason McNickle discussed security at the Gateway Transit Center, comparing the cost of a dedicated Port Angeles Police Department resource officer with contracted security services. He said the annual cost of a resource officer is about $25,000, while the agency spent just over $70,000 last year on contract security.
McNickle said consistency was a primary concern. Because PAPD officers can be reassigned to other calls, their presence at the transit center is not always predictable. A contracted security officer, by contrast, provided scheduled, on-site coverage during peak hours, which he said has helped address issues such as loitering and vandalism, while allowing law enforcement to respond when necessary.
Board members indicated the issue will likely return for further discussion as staff considers whether to recommend reallocating funds toward more targeted security coverage at Gateway.
The board proclaimed March 18 as Transit Driver Appreciation Day in Clallam County, and encouraged residents to thank transit operators.
The board also recognized maintenance worker Casey Rudd for 25 years of service with the agency. Rudd was also the employee of the year in 2012.
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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com
