Sore about that 595 bus? Here’s your chance to shape transit future

If you’re one of those commuters sore about losing the luxury coach on the Gig Harbor-to-Seattle run, here’s your chance to get involved in future planning.

Pierce Transit is holding a series of meetings on the agency’s long-range plans to 2040. It’s asking commuters’ opinions about new routes, weekend service, capital improvements and “whatever else people think would improve their local transit system.”

Meetings are set for Tuesday, Jan. 28, in Lakewood, and Thursday, Jan. 30 at UW Tacoma. The Tuesday meeting is at 5 p.m. in the Rainier Conference Room at the Pierce County Transit training center, 3720 96th St. SW. The Thursday meeting is at 4 p.m. in UW Tacoma’s Phillip Hall, Room 101A.

Pierce County Transit provides the buses and personnel for Route 595, the Sound Transit express service to Seattle from Purdy and Gig Harbor.

Commuters on the route were upset recently when the big, touring-style coaches on the 2-hour run were replaced with standard city buses. Sound Transit said the larger buses were needed on the Tacoma Dome-to-Seattle run, which is more often full.

Pierce Transit spokesperson Rebecca Japhet said Pierce County is expecting 364,000 more residents by 2050, and is trying to develop a transit system that can handle that growth.

Among the issues the agency wants to address is the planned arrival of Sound Transit Link light rail extension to the Tacoma Dome, which will change some of Pierce Transit’s bus connections at the dome.

Pierce Transit also wants to take into account “more robust levels of transit service” for outlying centers and corridors, such as the Gig Harbor Peninsula, as those area infill and develop.

The agency is offering a web site, www.PierceTransit.org/Destination-2040, where riders can view and comment on different scenarios for the future.

Japhet notes that while Pierce Transit does provide contract service for Route 595, it is Sound Transit that makes equipment decisions. Riders who want to vent more directly about Route 595 may call Sound Transit at 888-889-6368.

This story was originally published January 22, 2020 at 12:00 AM.