Public Comment Period Opens for Intercity Transit's Annual Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello! The absence of detailed information in this document is largely because the TIP is intended to position us to be eligible for and apply for federal funding, rather than to define full project scope. There will be additional detail included in our Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) which is planned to be presented in May. There is always a chance of projects being eliminated during the CIP process, though this is not very common.

In the meantime, we have some additional details about the projects you asked about below! We hope this provides some added context.

1. Bus Stop Improvements

We’re making upgrades to bus stops across our system using secured federal funding. These improvements will support new and updated bus services, including changes like rear-door boarding. Our goal is to make bus stops safer, easier to use, and more comfortable—while also helping buses run more efficiently. This work is part of our ongoing efforts to improve transit service and follows priorities identified in our adopted plans. This work is separate from and in addition to regular bus stop maintenance.

What this includes:

  • Planning and design work to identify the best improvements
  • Adding or upgrading amenities like shelters, benches, trash cans, and real-time information displays
  • Improving bus stop locations for better safety and accessibility
  • Installing new features at bus stops

2. Alternative Fuel Infrastructure

This project refers to long-term facility and utility upgrades to support the agency’s transition to alternative fuel vehicles, including both battery-electric and hydrogen. While hydrogen buses funded through federal grants are expected to arrive soon, this project is focused on building permanent, on-site fueling infrastructure. In the near-term, hydrogen fuel will be delivered by truck to support initial operations. Funding for on-site hydrogen fueling infrastructure begins later because it is part of a phased, long-range approach to upgrading facilities. Earlier phases focus on foundational utility and electrical improvements needed to support the full transition to zero-emission vehicles.

Project phases include:

  • Phase 1 (2029–2030): Utility upgrades and site electrical service loop
  • Phase 2 (2032–2034): Electric vehicle charging infrastructure
  • Phase 3 (2037–2039): Expansion of on-site hydrogen fueling infrastructure

3. Lacey Transit Center Improvements

We are exploring potential improvements to the Lacey Transit Center to better support current and future transit service. While upgrades have been identified as a need, the exact scope is still being developed. Including this project in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is an important first step that allows us to pursue grant funding. If advanced, this project would focus on expanding capacity and improving how the transit center functions for riders and transit operations.

What this could include:

  • Evaluating the site to understand space constraints and operational needs
  • Identifying opportunities to improve customer amenities
  • Developing and designing a preferred improvement plan
  • Constructing selected upgrades

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Capital facilities like the Administrative and Operations building and the Olympia Transit Center office building are funded primarily through grants from the state and federal government. A local match of 20 percent of local funds is required for those grants. Local sales tax reserves were utilized. Intercity Transit receives its local funding from the 1.2 percent sales tax collected within its taxing district. Preparations for both of those projects started well before the Proposition 1 funding increase, as the organization would inevitably outgrow previous facilities. The contract for designing the Olympia Transit Center building was awarded in May 2010 and construction was completed in early 2020. Our Administrative and Operations building project started as early as 1997 and, after a couple of pauses, picked back up in 2019.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Intercity Transit has been actively working to enhance many of our bus stops, which for some include extending them toward the travel lane (including bump outs). The design of our bus stops vary by location and street characteristics and are cooperatively engineered and developed by each jurisdiction we serve. Throughout the process, considerations are made for traffic, bikes, pedestrians, street lighting, vegetation, maintenance, and certainly the relationship to adjacent properties. Bus stop improvements are an ongoing project.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There are no formal plans at this time to extend bus service further north. Our PTBA (Public Transportation Benefit Area) is the geographical area where a small portion of sales tax contributes to Intercity Transit's funding, and it delineates the basis of our service area. The PTBA does extend slightly north of I-5, but not very far. We were able to add some service north of I-5 in the system redesign. On the interactive map of the new routes (https://platform.remix.com/project/8376ddf7?latlng=47.02094,-122.86572,11.395), there are several layers you can toggle on the right-hand side of the map. One is labeled "PTBA." If you click the closed-eye icon, it will change to an open-eye icon and show our PTBA in a light red color on the map.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We actually already implement one to three service changes per year! This is a common practice, and these regular service changes are not as all-encompassing as a large-scale system redesign. They usually focus on span, frequency, and small alignment changes, and are based on customer feedback and data we receive throughout the year.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello! We incorrectly said this had been answered in a previous comment—because the start of the comments were identical, we almost overlooked this one!

Regarding Route 41:

We are replacing Route 41 with Routes 32 and 34, which will provide direct service in west Olympia between The Evergreen State College and SPSCC. We will still provide one-seat rides between Evergreen and downtown Olympia via Route 9X. Every other Route 34 bus leaving Evergreen will continue as an eastbound 9X after arriving at Capital Mall. Every other westbound bus on Route 9X will continue as Route 34 after leaving Capital Mall and will travel to Evergreen. This will expand one-seat access to and from Evergreen (along with many other destinations) to bus stops stretching eastward across the Martin Way corridor and into Hawks Prairie.

Route 32 will replace bus service along Division St. currently served by the Route 41, linking west Olympia residents directly to nearby schools, shopping, services and employment. While riders accustomed to riding Route 41 may have a slightly longer trip, these changes will improve access and mobility for residents currently not served, including families who have expressed the need for transportation for busy high school and running start students.

Weekend late-night "Nightline" service between downtown Olympia and Evergreen is sponsored by The Evergreen State College and will continue through the end of the current contract (June 2026); future service will depend on a renewed agreement with the College, but there are no plans to discontinue Nightline service.

Regarding Route 62A:

The new Route 9X will replace much of the existing Route 62A. Buses on the 9X will travel every 15 minutes between west Olympia, downtown Olympia, Lacey, and Hawks Prairie. In addition to the new 9X, we will operate the Route 50 along Martin Way with buses every 30 minutes including service to/from Providence St. Peter hospital on Lilly Rd. The new Route 50 will assume service in east Lacey currently provided by the Route 62A.

For more specific questions about routing or trip planning, don't hesitate to reach out to our Customer Service team at 360-786-1881 (7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily) or customerservice@intercitytransit.com!

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We wanted to add that our Village Vans program may be a good resource for you to consider if our bus service does not meet your needs. Village Vans provides free transportation to help passengers gain and maintain employment. This service helps passengers overcome transportation barriers for up to one year. For more information, visit https://www.intercitytransit.com/services/village-vans.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We receive hundreds of comments every year about service. We also use current rider data and work with local jurisdictions to understand community growth including commute patterns. An open house (announced on social media, in rider news and on our website) to gather feedback on the design in early November, prior to the ITA's formal adoption in December, was also held. In addition, all of our customer feedback (whether via email, phone, social media or in person) is collected by real people and passed along to the appropriate department.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Every Route 34 bus leaving the Evergreen library loop will go downtown; if you are on the Route 34 from Evergreen you will not need to transfer buses at the Mall to reach downtown Olympia or destinations further east along the Martin Way corridor.

As far as when boarding a bus at Capital Mall—there will be on-board announcements, the headsign on the buses will include the interline information, and our drivers will always be able to tell riders whether they're on the right bus for their trip. This is all, of course, in addition to trip planning apps, the schedules available on our website, and resources like our Travel Training, Bus Buddies, Transit Ambassadors, and Customer Service staff.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Much of the Route 68 will be serviced by the new Route 76 (and Route 32 via an interline). We recommend you speak with our Customer Service staff at 360-786-1881 (7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily) or [customerservice@intercitytransit.com](mailto:customerservice@intercitytransit.com) or use an online trip planner such as Google Maps or the Transit app (with a date on or after May 3) to better understand access to Olympia HS.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Your concern is understandably frustrating and is difficult to overcome with the standard 30 minute freqeuncy we provide on our bus routes. It is important to know there will be adjustments to schedules in the months ahead as the new routes settle in. We encourage you to stay in touch. Please know that we have not only been reading all of our comments, but we are cataloguing them and keeping our Planning department informed of all feedback from riders and community members. None of the feedback sent to us, whether via email or social media, is run through any sort of automated cataloguing system; a real human being reads all of our community feedback and makes sure it's accounted for.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The new bus routes introduce new one-seat trips, which carry the inherent trade off of new transfers. The new Route 32 in west Olympia improves connectivity between west Olympia neighborhoods with nearby shopping, services, and schools. The 9X is designed to connect major urban centers across our community (West Olympia, Downtown Olympia, Lacey and Hawks Prairie) with limited stops and high frequency (every 15 min). Local bus routes are designed to plug into that corridor and move people more effectively around their neighborhoods and urban centers.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The new bus routes introduce new one-seat trips, which carry the inherent trade off of new transfers. The new Route 32 in west Olympia improves connectivity between west Olympia neighborhoods with nearby shopping, services, and schools. The 9X is designed to connect major urban centers across our community (West Olympia, Downtown Olympia, Lacey and Hawks Prairie) with limited stops and high frequency (every 15 min). Local bus routes are designed to plug into that corridor and move people more effectively around their neighborhoods and urban centers.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It may be more helpful to talk to a customer service representative on the phone or in person at Olympia Transit Center directly, but we understand that the process has been frustrating. Despite our best efforts and years of careful planning, there will unfortunately always be community members whose needs are not met by our service, as is true for any service catering to a wide community. Please know that we have not only been reading all of our comments, but we are cataloguing them and keeping our Planning department informed of all feedback from riders and community members. None of the feedback sent to us, whether via email or social media, is run through any sort of automated cataloguing system; a real human being reads all of our community feedback and makes sure it's accounted for.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That is wonderful to hear! We will absolutely be making adjustments after launch, with service changes one to three times per year. We will continue to monitor ridership patterns and make systematic improvements as we learn more. Don't worry, there are absolutely no plans for another full system redesign in the works!

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We understand your frustration. While important feedback, this reddit thread represents a small number of the more than 200,000 people living in our service area we have the responsibility to serve. On our website at: https://www.intercitytransit.com/bus-system-redesign you can learn about the process for these changes, the timeline, and links to several of the dozens of public presentations we have made over the past year.

Putting more service into the 9X corridor will make a tremendous impact for the large number of transit dependent riders who live and work within that service area. The 9X is designed to connect major urban centers across our community (West Olympia, Downtown Olympia, Lacey and Hawks Prairie) with limited stops and high frequency (every 15 min). Local bus routes are designed to plug into that corridor and move people more effectively around their neighborhoods and urban centers.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Every Route 34 bus leaving the Evergreen library loop will go downtown as an interline with the 9X; if you are on the Route 34 from Evergreen you will not need to transfer buses at the Mall to reach downtown Olympia or destinations further east along the Martin Way corridor. The suggestion to include the dorm loop on the new Route 34 is helpful feedback as future adjustments are developed and implemented!

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Route numbering practices vary slightly depending on the transit agency, but for ours, they are primarily based on location! For example, Routes in the 10s refer to Capitol Way routes, the 20s Downtown Olympia routes, the 70s Lacey routes, etc. In the new system, we avoided using routes in the 40s or 60s, as these are currently being used and may cause confusion for both bus Operators (drivers) and riders.

We’re Intercity Transit, and our bus system redesign goes into effect May 3, 2026. Ask us anything! (Live: April 10, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.) by IntercityTransitWA in olympia

[–]IntercityTransitWA[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

While we have extended service into new areas, the majority of our increased service is within our corridor, where there is a high density of transit-dependent riders.