PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson Transit will restore and expand a downtown shuttle route it had discontinued earlier this year.
Director Peggy Hanson, who began her job in May, announced the change earlier this month, saying she reversed the decision made one month before she was hired to increase ridership and convenience for transit customers.
The restored route, called the downtown shuttle, will run through Port Townsend every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends, beginning Oct. 17.
It will begin and end at the Haines Way Park and Ride, travel down Sims Way, turn left on Kearney Street, turn right on Lawrence Street and travel through the uptown area, then turn right on Monroe Street through downtown and up Sims Way to return to the Park and Ride.
The second leg, an enhancement of the route, will travel up 10th Street, turn left on Sheridan to the QFC and come back the same way.
“I understand why they made the decision to discontinue the route,” Hanson said.
“They were looking to cut expenses, and wanted to provide ‘one-ride’ services without making riders transfer.
“But even if that was more convenient for some riders, it resulted in empty buses in the middle of the day for several routes.”
Currently, buses from Sequim and other locations loop around downtown and uptown.
Sequim transfers
When the shuttle is in operation, riders from Sequim to downtown Port Townsend will need to transfer.
Keeping frequent service along the shuttle route will increase average ridership and decrease operating costs, Hanson said.
“This will expand our ridership and improve our service levels,” she said.
“If someone misses the shuttle at a certain location, they can just wait and another bus will be along in 30 minutes.”
Hanson hopes that restoring the shuttle will increase customer service and make the public more receptive to a proposed 0.3 percent sales tax increase for transit operations expected to be placed on the February ballot.
Hanson originally wanted to put the measure on the Nov. 2 ballot, but the transit board postponed the action because Jefferson County had placed a sales tax increase question on that ballot.
Hanson said she is focused on the transit increase, regardless of whether the county measure passes in November.
“If the measure doesn’t pass in February, we will have to reduce service levels,” she said.
“I do not want to see that happen.”
In the meantime, Hanson thinks the slow economy is increasing the importance of public transportation because fewer people can afford to use private vehicles.
“We don’t go through neighborhoods,” she said.
“We are part of them.”
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.