The Pierce Transit board of directors voted June 13 to end all bus service to the eastern parts of Pierce County beginning in October.
Only the 496, running from the Bonney Lake Park and Ride lot to the Sumner Sounder station survived the axe, at least through February.
The plan is designed to maximize ridership in high population areas, which means small cities like Bonney Lake, Sumner and Buckley are left without service.
These reductions were made due to a $51 million budget shortfall brought on by the economic recession and loss of Proposition 1 at the February 2011 election. Adoption of the final phase completes the plans for an overall 35 percent service reduction in 2011.
Bonney Lake Mayor Neil Johnson, who represents the small cities on the voard of commissioners, said the meeting was “pretty depressing.” Only Johnson and County Councilman Tim Ferrel voted against the plan.
Johnson said it was becoming obvious that east Pierce County residents are being singled out for their vote against Proposition 1 in February, which would have increased sales tax 0.3 percent.
More than 64 percent of voters in the 31st Legislative District, which includes Bonney Lake, Sumner and Buckley, rejected Proposition 1, with many calling it a lose-lose for the area, which, even if it passed, would have seen reductions in service in exchange for an increase to sales tax.
Johnson also said a resolution of the Bonney Lake City Council opposing Proposition 1 was used “as ammo against us” and repeated his statement that the authority should be renamed “Tacoma Transit.”
According to the Washington State Department of Revenue, the cities of Bonney Lake, Sumner, Buckley and Orting – which are all scheduled to lose service in October – contributed approximately $4.8 million in sales tax to Pierce Transit in 2010.
According to a press release, more than 140 people attended Monday’s public hearing at Pierce Transit headquarters in Lakewood. In addition, more than 350 people provided spoken or written testimony on the October reduction plan.
The majority of people told board members how essential public transportation is to their lives and how devastating the proposed cuts would be: keeping them from getting to work, attending school, shopping, going to church and visiting friends.
Following public hearing testimony, the board directed staff to preserve the Route 496 through February 2012 and to work with partners to find a possible solution for keeping that route. In addition, the Board directed staff to develop options for keeping a transit connection to Northeast Tacoma.
Members of the city council also expressed their disappointment at the decision.
“I can’t understand them providing the service we’re paying for,” Councilman Jim Rackley said.
“Pierce Transit has failed miserably for the people of east Pierce County,” said Councilman Mark Hamilton, who added that the small cities could provide their own transit service for the money sent to Pierce Transit.
In total, Pierce Transit will eliminate the following 14 bus routes and corresponding paratransit in October including the following routes in East Pierce County/Bonney Lake/Sumner/ Buckley
• Route 406 Buckley
• Route 407 Prairie Ridge
• Route 408 Sumner-Bonney lake
• Route 409 Puyallup to Sumner segment
• Orting Loop
