Pierce Transit to hold live, virtual Bus Rapid Transit update Aug. 27

Pierce Transit is planning a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line along a 14.4-mile portion of Pacific Avenue/SR-7 between downtown Tacoma and Spanaway. The corridor is currently served by Pierce Transitâ€™s Route 1, which has the agencyâ€™s highest ridership.

While the agency had planned to hold in-person open houses this summer, due to COVID-19 Pierce Transit has updated the public on the project virtually, including a recent online open house.

On Thursday, Aug. 27, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Pierce Transit will hold a live virtual BRT update, in which participants can receive a project update, ask questions and interact with the project team. The virtual meeting, held simultaneously on Zoom and YouTube, will cover:

Station design and service branding
Timeline updates
Property owner coordination
Updates from project partners
Answers to attendeesâ€™ questions

To register for the Zoom meeting, visit RideBRT.com and click on the registration link. For those interested in tuning into the presentation but who donâ€™t want to ask questions or chat, the virtual meeting will also be broadcast live on Pierce Transitâ€™s YouTube channel, as well as posted there afterward.

BRT systems are designed to carry larger numbers of riders with greater speed, reliability and frequency than a standard fixed-route bus. BRT stations have additional amenities, such as real-time arrival information; off-board fare collection, raised platforms and multiple doors for faster boarding; transit signal prioritization for faster travel times through congested intersections; and unique, branded vehicles that carry more passengers, have room for bicycles onboard and provide easier wheelchair access.

The public can learn more about Pierce Transitâ€™s Bus Rapid Transit project at RideBRT.com. They may also sign up to receive email updates by visiting PierceTransit.org/StayConnected, entering their email address, and selecting the â€œBus Rapid Transit (BRT) Projectâ€ topic. Questions and comments may be emailed to brt@piercetransit.org.

There is already $90 million committed to the Pierce Transit BRT project, including $60 million from Sound Transit 3, plus state funding and other grants. Pierce Transit is requesting federal funding to cover the remaining costs of the project. If fully funded, service could get underway as early as 2024.

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Trip Planner Help

Trip Planner Tips - Entering Locations

To create a trip plan you need to enter both a starting location (origin) and an ending location (destination). For information about stops, schedules, or service at a specific location, you only need to enter one location.

The Trip Planner recognizes most street intersections and addresses as well as many landmarks in Pierce, King, and Snohomish Counties. If what you entered is not immediately recognized, the Trip Planner will offer you a list of options. You can choose one of the options, but if your intended location is not there, select the "Revise Original Entries" link to return to the entry page and change the entries you have already made.

Addresses

You don't need to type in the city along with the address. The Trip Planner shows the possible city names as options if needed. City names are based on zip codes.
You don't need to type in St., Street, Ave., or Avenue, or similar street types. The Trip Planner shows the possible alternatives as options if needed. (Example: type 110 Jones instead of 110 Jones Boulevard.)
You don't need to type in the directional designations for streets, but if a direction name is part of a street name, you should include it. (Example: type 1000 Main instead of 1000 S Main. But type 1000 West Viewmont for 1000 West Viewmont Way W.)
Some streets and addresses are unknown to the Trip Planner. You may need to enter another nearby location, such as an intersection or a landmark.
You should not enter the suite number or apartment number. Just the house number and street name (Example: type in 401 Broadway instead of 401 Broadway Avenue Suite 800).

Intersections

The "&" symbol is the only character used between two street names to show an intersection. (Examples: 1st & B, James & Madison)
You don't need to type in the city. The Trip Planner shows the possible city names as options if needed. City names are based on zip codes.
You don't need to type in St., Street, Ave., or Avenue, or similar street types. The Trip Planner shows the possible alternatives as options if needed. (Example: type Conifer & Jones instead of Conifer Circle & Jones Boulevard.)
You don't need to type in the directional designations for streets, but if a direction name is part of a street name, you should include it. (Example: type 3rd & Main instead of 3rd S & S Main. But type 34th & West Viewmont for 34th W & West Viewmont Way W.)
Some streets are unknown to the Trip Planner. You may need to enter another nearby intersection or a landmark.

Landmarks

Government Sites: Pierce County Health Dept, Pierce Co Sheriffs Office, Tacoma City Hall

Major Commercial Sites: Tacoma Mall, Sheraton Hotel

Transportation Facilities: Sea-Tac Airport, Greyhound Bus Depot

Schools & Colleges: Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma Community College

Sports & Leisure: Cheney Stadium, Pt Defiance Zoo

Medical Facilities: Group Health, Tacoma General Hospital