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Intercity Transit outlines redesign plans; Black Hills High School service constrained by road network
Summary
Transit officials described upcoming route redesigns, noted the system remains zero‑fare and said road network limitations — not lack of agency will — are the principal barrier to better service to Black Hills High School.
Representatives from Intercity Transit discussed plans to redesign local bus service, reiterated the agency’s zero‑fare policy and described constraints that limit direct service to Black Hills High School in Tumwater.
Why it matters: Changes to public transit routing can affect students’ ability to access schools and after‑school activities without private transportation. Intercity Transit said small route and schedule adjustments can yield meaningful improvements for students and families, but that major changes often depend on road network features and local development.
Nick Demaris, Intercity Transit marketing and communications director, and Rob Florentine, planning director, presented the agency’s service‑redesign goals and background. Demaris recapped Prop 1 — a previous voter‑approved package to expand service — and said pandemic disruptions altered earlier implementation plans; the agency retains the aim of “more places, more often.”
Florentine said planners are looking for relatively small routing and stop changes that can improve student access to schools and colleges, reduce transfers and shorten trips to after‑school activities. He said the Martin Way/Capitol Boulevard corridors and College Street are among corridors under consideration for frequency improvements.
On service to Black Hills High School, transit staff cited the local road network as the primary constraint: narrow neighborhood streets and limited safe turnaround locations prevent frequent bus service or easy terminus placement. Florentine said pending or future development — including a planned relocation of a Costco and other road improvements — could create the infrastructure needed to route buses more directly to that campus.
Board members asked how to expedite improved service to Black Hills. Intercity Transit said the city’s development process and road improvements are key levers; the agency can request transit‑supportive conditions in development review but cannot unilaterally build new streets. The transit presenters urged residents to participate in future public engagement and noted the agency will post design timelines and opportunities for feedback online.
No formal action was taken by the board at the meeting; Intercity Transit staff said the presentation is the start of a conversation and that more public engagement will follow as funding and planning solidify.
