Adjustments In Bus Service Will Begin July 2 Sta Is Making Several Cuts To Save Money; More Changes Will Be Made In September

Several changes in Spokane bus routes will take place July 2, with more adjustments coming again in September.

The Spokane Transit Authority board is making a series of cuts on routes to save money. The 12:20 p.m. departures are being eliminated, and distant routes are being shortened or reorganized.

Other changes are being made to improve service.

In all, the STA will save about $3 million a year out of its $30 million operating budget, including the changes made in March.

The cuts stem from the loss of motor vehicle excise tax revenue due to voter approval of Initiative 695 last year.

Transit officials said the service reductions are being balanced with route improvements. They are hoping to minimize the hardship on riders.

“There are some pretty good things being added back,” said Jill Lamb, public relations specialist with the transit authority.

One route change in the Spokane Valley was requested by state officials, who have opened a new social services office at Trent and Vista.

“They came to us and requested that we serve them,” Lamb said.

Here are the changes taking effect in July:

The No. 62 Medical Lake Express bus will make its last departure at 6 p.m. on weekdays. Also, weekend bus service on that route is being eliminated.

The No. 91 Mission bus will be realigned for the social services office at Trent and Vista. Also, the route will not extend beyond Broadway and Park in the Valley.

Its downtown leg will use Washington instead of Monroe to save running time.

The Nos. 95 and 96 Argonne buses will have minor route changes to pick up areas no longer served by the No. 91 Mission bus.

The No. 95 Argonne bus will begin serving Mirabeau Point and the Spokane Valley Mall.

The No. 65 Cheney-Eastern Washington-University bus will depart five minutes earlier than it currently does to get students to campus in time for classes.

Cuts and other changes taking effect on Sept. 17 were approved by the STA board last month.

Here are the September changes:

The No. 1 Plaza-Arena Shuttle is so busy during peak hours that service is being increased from every 10 minutes to every seven minutes.

On Saturdays, the downtown arrivals and departures of the No. 25 Division and No. 90 Sprague buses will be coordinated on 20-minute frequencies to help riders go from one part of the county to another.

The No. 82 Greenacres bus will be discontinued. Some segments had as few as seven riders a day. Other areas with rider demand will be served by the No. 90 Sprague bus.

The savings on this cut is $376,000 a year.

The 12:20 a.m. departures from The Plaza downtown are being eliminated. The last departures will now be at 11:20 p.m. The late buses averaged only six or seven riders.

This cut saves $200,000 a year.

Late-night paratransit service is also being cut. Paratransit service will end at 11 p.m. on weekdays and 9 p.m. on Saturdays.

The No. 94 East Fifth bus will be discontinued east of Park and Broadway. The Argonne Library will be served by changes in the No. 91 Mission bus route.

The No. 20 Driscoll bus will a have minor schedule change to improve service.

The No. 25 Division and No. 26 Hamilton buses will be realigned north of Francis Avenue to provide better service and faster running times.