Link Transit Proposed Service Improvements

Link Transit is currently taking public input and comments for a number of proposed service improvements that are scheduled to go into effect on July 1st. Most of the changes are minor, with the extension of some trips to run the full route and adding new trips to extend the span of service on other routes.

Route 5
The last trip leaving Columbia Station at 6:30PM on weekdays currently ends at the Wal-Mart stop at 6:50PM. This trip would be extended to run the full route, with the bus returning to Columbia Station at 7:25PM. (The bus would still have a 10 minute layover at the Wal-Mart stop.)

Route 9
Currently, Route 9 doesn’t begin running until 9AM. Two new trips would be added in the mornings, with new departures leaving Columbia Station at 8:00AM and 8:30AM. (15 minute service would still start at 10AM). Two more new trips would also be added in the evenings, with new departures leaving Columbia Station at 6:00PM and 6:30PM.

Route 8W/8E
The last trip on Route 8W leaving Columbia Station at 6:00PM on weekdays currently ends at Olds Station (next to the Link Transit Admin/Base facility). This trip would be extended to run the full route, with the bus serving East Wenatchee and returning to Columbia Station at 6:55PM. There would also be a new weekday trip on Route 8E, which would leave Columbia Station at 7:00PM and run the full route before returning to Columbia Station at 7:55PM.

Route 21
The current weekday-only trip leaving Columbia Station at 5:15PM would be added to the Saturday schedule, with the bus arriving in Manson at 6:33PM and leaving at 6:40PM with the bus returning to Columbia Station at 7:55PM.

Route 22
A new weekday-only trip would be added, with the bus leaving Columbia Station at 8:00PM and arriving in Leavenworth at approximately 8:48PM. It is not specified if this trip would continue back all the way to Columbia Station, but if it did it would leave Leavenworth at approximately 9:00PM and return to Columbia Station at approximately 9:50PM. The current weekday-only trip leaving Columbia Station at 6:10PM would be added to the Saturday schedule, with the bus arriving in Leavenworth at 6:58PM and leaving at 7:10 with the bus returning to Columbia Station at 8:00PM.

These new trips won’t make a huge dent in Link Transit’s operating budget, as they are projected to add just $94,500 to the current operating budget of $10,725,000. To let them know what you think of these proposed improvements, you can call them at (509) 664-7611, or even send them a tweet to @LinkTransit.