Getting There: STA considers 50-cent hike in bus fare

Spokane Transit Authority officials are proposing a 33 percent increase in bus fares starting in 2017.

The proposal would raise the cash price at the fare box from $1.50 to $2, including paratransit rides.

The majority of bus riders purchase 31-day passes. Those would increase from $45 to $60. The 31-day youth pass would go from $30 to $40.

The proposal calls for eliminating the summer youth passes and student passes.

But the agency would add short-term passes for four and seven days, which would be intended to appeal to visitors to Spokane.

If approved by the STA board, the fare increases would raise the amount that riders pay to 22 percent of the cost of providing the service.

STA has a policy that riders should pay at least 20 percent of the cost of bus service. Fares currently account for 19 percent of the cost, officials said.

The last fare increases in 2010 and 2011 raised the cash price for a bus ride from $1 to $1.50.

The STA board last week approved a plan to elicit public comment on the proposal. The effort is driven in part by Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act that mandates that major decisions by STA be made only after the public gets a chance to respond.

Spokane City Councilwoman Amber Waldref, a member of the STA board, said the fare increases are likely to be modified as a result of public input.

A formal public hearing is scheduled before the STA board on June 16 at 1:30 p.m. at 1230 W. Boone Ave.

A vote on any fare increase would occur during the board’s regular meeting July 21.

In other business, the STA board last week postponed a decision on whether to ask voters a second time for a tax increase to pay for expanded STA service, including a Central City Line, West Plains transit center and new or expanded park-and-ride facilities.

Last April, voters narrowly rejected a 0.3 percent sales tax increase to pay for those and other improvements.

New budget projections show that sales tax revenue will grow more quickly than believed. As a result, it appears that a sales tax increase of 0.2 percent would pay for the projects included in the STA Moving Forward plan.

Among the improvements are increases in nighttime and weekend service and the introduction of high-performance bus lines. Division Street would get larger buses to accommodate growing ridership there.

Most Idaho cyclists own cars

Nearly all bicycle riders on Idaho roads also own a car. The Idaho Walk Bike Alliance found that 96 percent of bike riders are vehicle owners.

“The figure is important to recognize because it offsets the perception that bicyclists don’t pay their share of transportation costs,” said David Guiotto, communications coordinator for the alliance.

“Most bicyclists own cars, therefore they pay registration and license fees, as well as fuel taxes,” Guiotto said.

Over 1,500 Idahoans from throughout the state were surveyed.

Street closures

Northwest Plant Health Care will close the intersection of South Jefferson Drive and West Saxon Drive on Wednesday for tree removal.

Elsewhere, CenturyLink workers will close the south side of Geiger Boulevard at Rowand Road for conduit work.

Avista will close one lane of the Newport Highway at Birch Avenue through Thursday for utility work.