Valley Transit Center Is Spartan By Necessity

The new STA Plaza is an architectural gem, with amenities to make bus riding efficient and pleasant.

But out at the Valley Transit Center, which is served by nine buses, things are a lot more stark. Benches to sit on are about as fancy as it gets. No telephone, no bathroom, no indoor waiting.

The problem is, there hasn’t been a phone or a bathroom designed that can withstand the vandalism and abuse that occur when they’re left unattended.

The Spokane Transit Authority has spent many thousands of dollars in repairs to try to keep a working phone at the center, says STA planning manager Christine Fueston. But vandals have made it their mission to destroy it, and until technology comes along to prevent that, it’s a waste of public funds to keep trying, she says.

Bathrooms aren’t possible in that kind of environment either. They would attract loiterers and crime, says Fueston, and would present a liability risk to STA.

And in winter, if the waiting area were kept any warmer it would attract people who might want to take up residence.

The good news is, Valley bus ridership is climbing. It’s still not as great as in other parts of the city, where population densities are greater, but the trend is there.

The East Sprague route is one of the busiest in town because of its length and because of the mix of retail businesses and offices it serves.

The East Sprague bus sees from 2,300 to 2,500 passenger trips per day during the week, which is nearly 10 percent of the entire STA load.

The U-City Limited has about 740 riders a day, which is up from about 500. The Crosstown route has seen a marked increase, to 1,300 a day, up from 1,100.

The Trentwood route is one of the busiest feeder routes, serving the Spokane Industrial Park. STA officials are working with industrial park businesses to coordinate schedules to best serve that area, Fueston said.

Other bright spots:

STA will soon be improving the Park and Ride lots at Harvard and Sullivan roads, putting in pavement, landscaping and security features.

The Harvard Road improvements will be especially welcomed by the many Liberty Lake park-and-riders. STA had to wait until the state decided on their interchange plans before proceeding, but that process has been completed.

Bike racks have now been placed on all buses, making the bike-bus connection a more attractive option. Bike lockers are for rent at the Valley Transit Center and at Park and Ride lots.

Starting in a few weeks, there will be direct service from Park and Ride lots to Cheney, a response to demand by EWU students for improved service.

Last month, service from the transit center to the airport began and is getting good usage.

And, until a 1996 study is completed and reviewed, STA is planning no changes to routes or rates (a proposed federal budget cut notwithstanding).

, DataTimes MEMO: On Your Way is a Valley Voice column focusing on commuter lifestyles and issues. Your views on any of the topics discussed are invited.