PORT TOWNSEND — A property exchange that changed artistic, commercial and transportation aspects of Port Townsend will be complete with the opening of Jefferson Transit’s Haines Place Transit Center on May 18.
“This will make it more convenient for our customers,” said Jefferson Transit executive assistant Laura Smedley.
“Customers will be able to ask questions and buy passes without having to travel to Four Corners.”
The agency’s headquarters at 1615 W. Sims Way contains both operations and customer service, which will now be separate.
Customer service and shift supervision will move as of
May 18 to Haines Place Transit Center at 440 12th St., the former home of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce.
Operations and maintenance will move to a newly constructed facility in Four Corners in June.
A variety of services will be available at the new transit center, including local and commuter bus passes (daily, monthly and annual) and special college and summer youth passes.
Also available will be trip planning, regional reduced fare permits, lost and found, as well as transit schedules throughout the Olympic Peninsula. The Haines Place Transit Center also will offer bike lockers and free parking for bus riders.
The move was precipitated by the relocation of the Northwind Arts Center last year from 2409 Jefferson St., to 701 Water St.
The chamber took over the Northwind space, adding Team Jefferson and providing space to the Small Business Development Council, the Olympic Development Council and Jefferson County Homebuilders with the hope of creating a one-stop shop for economic information.
“Over the next few months, we are seeing what kind of synergy and collaboration happens here,” said Teresa Verraes, the chamber’s executive director.
“Being housed together can be really powerful.”
The new transit center will open at 7 a.m. May 18, with an open house taking place there from 1 p.m. 3 p.m. on May 25.
The agency will also schedule an open house at the Four Corners facility sometime in June, Smedley said.
The chamber plans to have a “soft opening” sometime during the week of May 18 where partners will be invited in for a tour of the new facility followed by an open house to be held in June, Verraes said.
For more information, visit www.jeffersontransit.com or phone 360-385-4777.
For the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, go to www.jeffcountychamber.org or phone 360-385-7869.
________
Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.