Sound Transit is set to raise rates for its trans-county bus services to keep up with costs of keeping the wheels on the road.
Sound Transit bus fares will likely go up a quarter. Pierce Transit rates will not change.
The biggest change would be to the system’s discounted fare for low-income riders, which would go up to match a similar program offered by King County Metro that will start in March. To qualify, a household of four would have to have an annual household income at or below $47,700.
That discounted rate is set to be $1.50. But the Sound Transit Board has options.
The first option is to not increase fares at all, swallow the rising costs of service and ponder increases in the future. Another option would be to only change fare changes on Link light rail, which would not affect Tacoma’s system since its rides are currently free. But that changes to $1.50 in 2016. The system had been set to begin charging riders this fall, but Tacoma's Business Improvement Area delayed those fares by agreeing to pay Sound Transit $29,000 a year for the next two years to cover the net revenue from fares the agency would have collected.
A third option would be to change fares for light rail and King County ST Express bus trips by a quarter, while a final option would be to just increase all fares by a quarter, except for the low-income riders who would pay $1.50.
The board is holding public meetings on the proposed changes. The Tacoma meeting will be held at 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 14, at Freighthouse Square, Rainier Room, 2501 East D St. The board will formally discuss rates at a public hearing on Oct. 23. A decision is expected on Nov. 20.
While changes to fare in the air for buses, Sound Transit officials held a series of public meetings earlier this week to brief Link watchers about expansion plans that would extend the rail service from the Theater District to the Stadium District and up to the Hilltop neighborhood along Martin Luther King Jr. Way straight on to 19th Street.
Engineers are now conducting a design and concept review for a 2.4 mile route that would have stations at Old City Hall, Stadium Way and South 4th Street, in the Stadium District, on Division Avenue, MLK and 6th Avenue, MLK and South 11th Street and MLK and South 19th Street. The cost of adding a station hasn’t been determined since those details will be folded into the overall traffic, design and environmental review. The working cost for the expansion is $165 million that will be split between Tacoma, Sound Transit and federal grants.
Fare change optionsThe Sound Transit Board is considering several fare change options and is seeking public comment on them. All options exclude Tacoma Link light rail.
Option 1: No fare changes at this time.
Option 2: Fare changes on Link light rail only. All Link fares increase by $0.25, except low-income adults pay $1.50.
Option 3: Fare changes on Link light rail and King County ST Express bus trips. All Link fares and ST Express fares within King County increase by 25 cents, except low-income adults pay $1.50.
Option 4: Fare changes on all Sound Transit services. All Link, ST Express and Sounder fares increase by 25 cents, except low-income adults pay $1.50 or youth fare, whichever is more.
Meeting: Tuesday, Oct. 14, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Freighthouse Square, Rainier Room - 2501 E. D St, Tacoma, 98421