Guest Post by Snoqualmie Valley Transportation
The Valley Shuttle, operated by Snoqualmie Valley Transportation and funded by King County Metro, is expanding operations. Starting on Monday, March 4, the buses shuttling riders up and down SR 202 and 203 between North Bend and Duvall will be arriving at stops more frequently in every city.
The expansion – the addition of a third bus to the schedule – is made possible by King County Metro, which contracts with SVT for public transportation in the Valley. With the bus’s added frequency on the route, the time between buses will be cut from about 90 minutes to about 60 minutes.
“Metro heard from the Valley community that they value more transit options,” said Christina O’Claire, Metro’s Director of Mobility. “Our terrific partnership with Snoqualmie Valley Transportation means it will now be easier and more convenient for residents to travel around the area. We’re thrilled we can assist with the expansion of service.”
“This is a huge upgrade for Valley riders,” said SVT Director Amy Biggs. “A lot of people count on the Valley Shuttle to get to work and school, and increasing our bus frequency will give them more options for planning their travel. We are so grateful that Metro is listening to what the Valley needs and we’re happy to provide consistent and affordable mobility to our residents and businesses.”
Snoqualmie Mayor Katherine Ross said, “The city is excited for the expansion of Snoqualmie Valley Transportation shuttle bus service. SVT provides consistent, reliable, and affordable transportation options for our residents who want to travel within Snoqualmie and throughout the Valley. Adding the additional bus will increase the route frequency providing more options for our residents.”
She added, “Access to public transportation is a vital resource for the city of Snoqualmie residents, no matter what their age. It is also critical for our businesses and future economic development to have robust transportation options available. SVT fills a huge gap for residents due to limited King County Metro service in the Snoqualmie Valley. This route expansion is a step in the right direction bringing public transportation equity to eastern King County and helping more residents who rely on public transportation to access their destinations in a more timely and efficient manner.”
“The expansion is a good start on meeting the needs of valley residents and reducing vehicle pressure on our rural roads,” says Carnation Mayor Jim Ribail. “We are very excited that Metro has taken a step to increase service in the Snoqualmie Valley. Our residents struggle with getting convenient transit service. This increase in service will help to get valley residents to grocery stores and medical appts, get kids to activities and help reduce the vehicle pressure on our valley roads. Rural transit service is difficult to create and it takes out-of-the-box ideas to ensure everyone is included in the diverse transit system. I’m very happy that Metro has found one way to help our citizens access transit in a more timely manner.”
It’s also likely to increase student use of the Valley Shuttle. Sabrina Warren, Transportation Supervisor at Riverview School District, said the Valley Shuttle is already a good option for students who can’t ride the school buses because of scheduling or other issues. The school district transports about 80 percent of the students at Tolt Middle School, she said, and “sometimes the kids stay down here in town after school, so I’m sure they use it,” she said. But the shuttle “only runs certain times right now. If it were more frequent, it could be used more by the middle school kids.”
At Snoqualmie Valley School District, Transportation Director Belle Tromp said the district has a very good working relationship with SVT and relies on many SVT services during driver shortages. She said the district isn’t using SVT now, “but for our students, It’s a great resource.”
Children ages 10 or older can ride the Valley Shuttle. An adult must accompany younger children.
SVT, a project of Mt. Si Senior Center, provides affordable and reliable public transportation throughout the valley with the Valley Shuttle, circulator routes in the upper valley, and appointment-based, or demand-response, trips within the valley. The buses are accessible, have bike racks, and are all open to the public. Rides are either $1 or a $1 suggested donation, based on the type of service.
Find a list of all their services online at www.svtbus.org or call 425-888-7001, Monday through Friday, from 6 am to 8 pm. The website includes the latest schedules, information and applications for working at SVT, and an option to sign up for rider alerts so that you receive information on route delays and local weather that may impact the buses.
Riders will soon be able to find information about SVT and other area transportation options on www.findaride.org, a website compiling each transportation agency’s schedules to offer a one-stop site to find options to reach your destinations. You can see the new schedule HERE.
About Snoqualmie Valley Transportation: Snoqualmie Valley Transportation (SVT) is a Mt. Si Senior Center program. It is the primary bus system serving Snoqualmie Valley. Funded by King County Metro Transit, Snoqualmie Tribe, WSDOT, and donations, SVT provides a variety of local-only bus services, in North Bend, Snoqualmie, Fall City, Carnation, Duvall and Monroe. More information about Snoqualmie Valley Transportation can be found on at: http://svtbus.org or by calling 425-888-7001.
