Submitted by Pierce Transit

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

Last summer the Pierce Transit Board officially designated BRT as the best mode for the corridor. The Board also selected the BRT’s beginning and ending points (Commerce Street Transfer Center in Tacoma and the intersection of 204th Street E. and SR 7 in Spanaway) and the route’s alignment (with the Tacoma Dome Station access route to be determined following a traffic analysis and additional public input).

The agency is holding six open houses in late January and early February to share information about the BRT project and gather public input on potential station locations, lane configurations and a route to access the Tacoma Dome Station. The public is invited to attend an open house to learn more about the various options, meet the design team and offer feedback:

Wednesday, Jan. 23, 4:30 to 6 p.m. 
Pacific Lutheran University
Anderson University Center, Room 133

Park Ave. S. and 122nd St. S., Tacoma

Served by Pierce Transit Routes 1, 45, 55

Thursday, Jan. 24, 4:30 to 6 p.m.
UW Tacoma, William W. Phillip Hall

Jane Thompson Russell Student Commons, Room WPH 101A
1918 Pacific Ave., Tacoma

Served by Pierce Transit Routes 1, 2, 3, 41, 42, 63, 102, 400, 500, 501 and Sound Transit Link Light Rail

Tuesday, Jan. 29, 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Moore Library

215 S. 56th St., Tacoma

Served by Pierce Transit Routes 1, 41

Wednesday, Jan. 30, 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Fern Hill Library

765 S. 84th St., Tacoma

Served by Pierce Transit Route 45

Thursday, Jan. 31, 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Sprinker Recreation Center, Rainier Room

14824 C St., Tacoma

Served by Pierce Transit Route 1

Monday, Feb. 4, 4:30 to 6 p.m.

Parkland/Spanaway Library
13718 Pacific Ave. S., Tacoma

Served by Pierce Transit Route 1

For those unable to attend an open house in person, Pierce Transit will have an online open house available at RideBRT.com.

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 the 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 “Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project” topic. Questions and comments may be emailed to brt@piercetransit.org.

There is already $90 million committed to the BRT project, including $60 million from Sound Transit 3, plus state funding and other grants. Pierce Transit has applied for federal funding to cover the remaining costs of the $150 million project. If fully funded, service could get underway as early as late 2022.