Kitsap Transit celebrated a few wins on the water in its annual mission to secure state funding, but some bus-reliant residents may be left out to dry in the proposed changes to several Central Kitsap bus routes in June.
At the April 2 meeting of the KT commissioners, Dylan Doty reported on a successful 60-day legislative session for the agency. “We saw a ton of bills introduced,” he said. “It was somewhat bizarre why a short session saw so much activity early on, and I think it was a reminder that this was the first short session that was in person since 2020.”
The report contained good news for Fast Ferry travelers. A $4 million increase in state funding, up from $1 million, is expected to solidify the expanded schedule of KT’s Bremerton-Seattle passenger ferry route through the end of the 2023-25 biennium.
The extra state-funded runs were added in late 2022 and were originally thought to be short-term due to complaints from locals about the continued reduced service from Washington State Ferries. Further delays in the full restoration of WSF routes have since kept the need for additional runs on Fast Ferries.
The agency also secured $300,000 for a study of a hyper-local water taxi to various in-county destinations, an idea expanding on continued ridership for KT’s Port Orchard and Annapolis foot ferries and the interest driven from special event ferry runs to Silverdale and Poulsbo.
However, certain funds are on pause until Jan. 1, 2025, as the state awaits the outcome of Initiative 2117. If passed by voters in November, the initiative would repeal the Climate Commitment Act.
Funds set to be held include $4 million for the Fast Foil Ferry project and just under $1.47 million for inductive charging units at transit centers.
Meanwhile, several bus routes are scheduled to change with the anticipated June opening of the new Silverdale Transit Center, which is being constructed near the Highway 303 Ridgetop Boulevard overpass.
A map released in late March outlines the proposed realignment of bus routes that will be rerouted to connect with the new transit center. These include Routes 212, 217 and 301, which all provide access to the Bremerton Ferry Terminal. Routes 332 and 223 are also on the list, and Routes 265 and 266 are set to be introduced for routes within Silverdale.
KT executive director John Clauson said thanks to the new center service will improve along routes where high ridership is anticipated, as well as where passengers are expected to step off the buses. One route will go to the front door of St. Michael Medical Center, then travel through Silverdale and up by The Trails and a little bit beyond where there’s a new apartment complex, he said.
Not everybody is happy about the proposed changes, which would eliminate bus service on Ridgetop Boulevard east of the Highway 303 overpass. Papers posted at bus stops on the two-plus mile stretch of road call on residents to “Help us keep our Ridgetop bus stops!”
But Clauson said that area doesn’t have a huge amount of ridership. He added there’s more potential on Silverdale Way with all of the apartments going in. But nothing is set in stone and public comment is being taken. A public hearing is scheduled for May 7.
