ACCESSIBLE Community Transit Transportation by Leigh Spruce
Community Transit is working to improve accessibility for all in Snohomish county. I am currently participating in a number of ongoing working groups that are looking into developing more centralized forms of transit systems around the areas where there is population growth and who have underserved access to transportation in these communities.
Light rail is coming to Lynnwood and then Everett within the next 2-5 years, which will make getting to and from much easier and more efficient.
Community Transit has been work
ing with another group to implement a shuttle system (Zip Shuttle) to help getting around Lynnwood much easier and more efficiently. What is great about this is that it is an on demand ride service that works very much like Uber/Lyft with the GOIN’ phone app. The cost will be considerably less: $2.50 per ride, $1.25 if you have an Orca card, and free for those under 18 yrs. old. It will run from 5am to 10 pm, seven days a week, circulating mainly in the downtown Lynnwood area from Alderwood Mall to the Edmonds Library. There will be options for an accessible van or car and requesting a car seat for a young child or baby.
Community Transit is conducting a study for the next year to see if this is successful. There are already plans to study other areas within Snohomish County, like Lake Stevens, Arlington and Darrington to see if such programs will work in these areas, although the type of service may vary.
The next city that is looking to improve transportation services is Arlington. Community Transit is working on a survey to see where this type of service will benefit most. At a recent meeting, we met to get an introduction on the project, and we looked at past surveys that were conducted in Lynnwood. We customized the survey and narrowed down some criteria, to customize ideas relating to the needs in Arlington. We hope to distribute the survey in the next few weeks.
For more information, you can call 425-521-5600, or you can download the GOIN’ app on your android or Apple device.
*****Leigh Spruce is the Self-Advocate Coordinator for The Arc of Snohomish County. Contact her at leigh@arcsno.org or 425-258-2459 ext. 103 for information about transportation, housing, leadership, and self-advocacy.