Swift Bus Rapid Transit
Swift | |
---|---|
Overview | |
Locale | Snohomish County, Washington, U.S. |
Transit type | Bus rapid transit |
Number of lines | 3 |
Number of stations | 78 |
Annual ridership | 1,621,838 (2015)[1]: 37 |
Website | communitytransit.org/swift |
Operation | |
Began operation | November 29, 2009 |
Operator(s) | Community Transit |
Number of vehicles | 45 articulated buses |
Headway | 10–20 minutes |
Technical | |
System length | 40.5 mi (65.2 km) |
Swift Bus Rapid Transit (stylized Swift, in italics) is a bus rapid transit system operated by Community Transit in Snohomish County, Washington, part of the Seattle metropolitan area. Swift consists of three routes that total over 40 miles (64 km) in length. The Blue Line, opened in 2009, runs on the State Route 99 corridor between Everett and Shoreline. The Green Line opened in 2019 and runs from the Boeing Everett Factory to Mill Creek and Bothell via State Route 527. It was followed by the Orange Line, which connects Lynnwood to Mill Creek, in 2024.
Swift has the highest
The first 28 Swift stations were opened on November 29, 2009, at a cost of $29 million. Four infill stations in Everett were opened in 2011, and a southbound infill station serving Edmonds College opened in 2016. The original line, known only as "Swift", became the "Blue Line" in August 2016. The Green Line opened in March 2019 and was followed by the Orange Line in 2024. Long-range plans adopted by Community Transit include Swift trunk lines replacing its most popular corridors by 2030, feeding into future Link light rail stations at Lynnwood Transit Center and Everett Station.
Lines
Line Name | Opened | Stations | Distance | Termini | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mi | km | Western/Southern | Eastern/Northern | |||
Blue Line | November 29, 2009 | 33 | 16.7 | 26.9 | Aurora Village Transit Center | Everett Station |
Green Line | March 24, 2019 | 31 | 12.5 | 20.1 | Canyon Park Park and Ride | Seaway Transit Center
|
Orange Line | March 30, 2024 | 13[2] | 11.3 | 18.2 | Edmonds College | McCollum Park
|
Line Name | Planned opening | Stations | Distance | Termini | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mi | km | Western/Southern | Eastern/Northern | |||
Gold Line
|
2027–2029[3] | TBA | 13.8 | 22.2 | Everett Station | Smokey Point Transit Center |
Silver Line
|
TBA | TBA | — | — | Seaway Transit Center
|
Cathcart |
Service
Type | Frequency | Span of service | |
---|---|---|---|
Days | Times | ||
Mornings | 15 minutes | Monday–Friday | 4:15 a.m. – 6:00 am |
Weekdays | 10 minutes | Monday–Friday | 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 pm |
Evenings | 20 minutes | Monday–Friday | 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 pm |
Saturday (Blue only) | 15 minutes | Saturday | 6:00 a.m. – 7:00 pm |
Saturday evenings (Blue only) | 20 minutes | Saturday | 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 pm |
Saturday (Green only) | 20 minutes | Saturday | 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 pm |
Sunday | 20 minutes | Sunday | 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 pm |
Swift's two lines run at a headway of 10 minutes from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 pm on weekdays, its highest level of service with five buses per hour per direction. Weekday service begins with a headway of 20 minutes from 4:00 a.m. to 6:00 am, and ends with the same frequency during the evening from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 pm. During Saturdays, buses run every 15–20 minutes from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 pm. Sunday service, which was suspended from 2010 until 2015,[6][7] runs from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 pm every 20 minutes.[4][5] The Blue Line initially ran at a 10-minute headway, and had evening service end at midnight, until a major system-wide service reduction in February 2012 reduced its weekday headway to 12 minutes.[8][9] Its 10-minute service was restored in September 2018 as part of the launch of the Green Line, while a later expansion in September 2019 brought 15-minute service on Saturdays to the Blue Line.[10][11]
Swift carried a total of 1,621,838 riders on the Blue Line in 2015, making it the most popular route operated by Community Transit, and accounting for 16.2% of the agency's total ridership.[1]: 37
Fares and enforcement
Type | Fare |
---|---|
Adult | $2.50 |
Youth | Free |
Reduced | $1.25 |
As of September 1, 2023[update][12] |
Fares on Swift are equivalent to Community Transit's local service fares, divided into two groups: adult fares of $2.50 for passengers between the ages of 18 and 65; and a reduced fare of $1.25 charged for passengers over the age of 65, those with disabilities, Medicare card holders, and those enrolled in the ORCA Lift low-income fare program.[12][13] Since 2022, fares have not been charged for youth passengers under the age of 19 as part of a statewide program.[14] At the time of Swift's launch in 2009, adult fares were set at $1.50, but have been increased since then.[15][16]
Swift uses off-board payment at its stations, made possible by the placement of two
Fleet
Swift uses a fleet of specially-branded
The first fleet of Swift buses were ordered in 2007 with the option of purchasing 34 additional coaches.
History
Community Transit's Strategic Planning Group published a recommendation in 2004, calling for bus rapid transit service on the State Route 99 corridor between
Blue Line planning, design and construction
Community Transit unveiled detailed plans for its bus rapid transit system, including the "Swift" name and logo, on July 26, 2006. The first line, located on State Route 99 between Everett and Aurora Village, would begin operating in 2008, with 10-minute
The following year, CT purchased its fleet of 15 hybrid diesel-electric buses from New Flyer, at a cost of $879,028 per vehicle, to be paid for with state and federal subsidies.[37]
Community Transit signed an agreement on December 5, 2007 with Everett Transit, which allowed for Swift to operate within Everett
A
The project cost a total of $29 million (equivalent to $41.2 million in 2024[43]), of which $15 million was paid for by grants from the Federal Transit Administration, Washington State Department of Transportation, as well as the partnership with Everett Transit. The grants also paid for the majority of the cost to operate Swift for its first three years of service, estimated at $5 million annually, allowing it to maintain 10-minute headways, while the rest of Community Transit service was reduced in 2010.[6][44]
Blue Line launch and later developments
Swift launched on November 29, 2009 with a
The successful launch of Swift, which saw
Swift stations were given a number of small improvements after the line opened. Curb bumpers were installed in June 2010 to help guide buses closer to the raised platform, and reduce the gap at the door.
Green Line planning
In 2005, Community Transit approved a long range plan, which extended Swift into a full network, and which comprised the core of Community Transit service on "Transit Emphasis Corridors". The corridors identified served the cities of Everett, Lynnwood, Edmonds, Mill Creek, Bothell, Marysville, and Arlington, using existing arterial streets that already have bus service.[58]
Community Transit announced plans for a second Swift line in November 2013.
The second line was renamed the Green Line in August 2016 and given a 2019 completion date.[65] The Green Line opened on March 24, 2019, a few weeks after the Paine Field passenger terminal.[66]
Network expansion
The Orange Line opened on March 30, 2024, and connects Edmonds College to Lynnwood and Mill Creek. It also serves the Lynnwood Transit Center, where it connects to the Link light rail system; Alderwood Mall; and the 164th Street corridor.[67][68] Construction began in April 2022.[69] A fourth route, named the Gold Line, would extend Swift service to Marysville and Smokey Point by 2029.[70][71] The Silver Line is planned to begin at Seaway Transit Center and travel along SR 527 and 132nd Street to State Route 9 near Glacier Peak High School east of Mill Creek.[72][73]
Community Transit also plans to extend the Blue Line on State Route 99 through
See also
References
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- ^ "Reduced Fare Permit: Senior 65+, Disabled, Medicare". Community Transit. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
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