After receiving a number of public comments, C-Tran is considering additional modifications to four routes already being scrutinized under a broad set of service changes.
After C-Tran staff proposed changes to routes 39, 19, 74 and 25, public comments gave the transit agency reason for a second look.
“For these four very important routes, these concepts have been put forth and we’re considering serious changes based on the feedback and commentary that we’ve gotten from the riders,” C-Tran spokeswoman Christine Selk said.
The proposed changes would drop two routes, add four routes and modify 11 others. Most of the current routes’ layouts are retained — just served differently, the agency says.
C-Tran originally planned to send Route 19 down Highway 99 and around Washington State University Vancouver, but C-Tran reconsidered after requests to travel down Northeast 20th Avenue to service medical clinics in Salmon Creek. As proposed, WSUV students would have to walk about a quarter of a mile from the bus stop at Northeast 29th Avenue to the campus. The bus continues on to Northeast 159th Avenue. Students will have weekend service to campus.
Route 25 was originally meant to connect St. Johns Boulevard with downtown Vancouver and the Highway 99 transit center in about 90 minutes round-trip using Northeast 88th Street, then Northeast 50th Avenue, to get to St. Johns. Instead, the public suggested using Northeast 99th Street.
Initial concepts for Route 39 sent buses down Washington Street. Riders suggested using Columbia Street instead so they could stop at Esther Short Park and City Hall.
Route 74 was created to replace the eastern portion of Route 44 after it’s discontinued. From Fourth Plain Boulevard, it would turn around at Northeast 162nd Avenue, using Northeast 65th Street and Northeast 157th Street to circle Safeway. Before public input, the route considered going up Northeast 162nd Avenue to Northeast 78th Street onto Ward Road and back onto Fourth Plain.
Most of the 11 routes would see small tweaks, typically shifting one end by a couple blocks in one direction or another. Others, such as Route 3, City Center and the Route 44, called the Fourth Plain Limited, will be scrapped entirely and replaced by other services. Others would serve previously untouched areas. Route 5 through Fruit Valley would connect to The Vine and the Veterans Administration Hospital. It would also provide single-seat grocery service to Wal-Mart and Fred Meyer; Route 6, the Grand, would serve the VA Hospital, Wal-Mart and Fred Meyer. It will also interline with the new Route 5.
The agency is hosting a number of open houses around the area to introduce riders to the concepts and answer questions. The next will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Vancouver Community Library, Klickitat Room, 901 C St.
If approved, the changes would take effect in September.
