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Pierce Transit presents 2045 long‑range plan to Sumner; scenario D would restore service only if community opts in
Summary
Pierce Transit gave an overview of a 20‑year plan that assumes higher funding and models a scenario that could return service to Sumner if the city votes to rejoin the agency and tax itself; the draft is open for public comment through Feb. 3, 2025.
Pierce Transit staff briefed the Sumner City Council Jan. 27 on a draft long‑range plan that looks ahead to 2045 and considers four service scenarios, including a scenario (labeled "D" in the presentation) that would restore Pierce Transit fixed‑route service to cities that left the agency’s service area in 2012.
Ryan Windisch (Sumner staff) introduced Pierce Transit presenters including Ryan Wheaton, chief planning officer, and planner Anna Hartrider (with Peter Peterson noted as a senior planner). Wheaton said the long‑range plan is predicated on higher revenue: the draft assumes a sales‑tax rate of 0.9 percent rather than the agency’s current 0.6 percent. The plan’s Scenario D shows about 900,000 annual service hours and illustrative routes reaching Sumner, but Wheaton emphasized that Pierce Transit cannot return service to a community without that community choosing to re‑enter the agency’s service boundary and adopt the tax to pay for the service.
Pierce Transit staff described its mix of services — fixed‑route buses, paratransit, vanpools and a newer on‑demand microtransit pilot called Runner — and said about 6.5 million trips across modes were provided in the most recent year. Staff noted that vanpool rideshare service is available to people who either live or work in Pierce County, even if their jurisdiction lies outside Pierce Transit’s service boundary. The agency also said it conducted outreach and received 19 online comments from Sumner residents expressing interest in commuter connections and access to the Sounder station.
Council members pressed Pierce Transit on why a city should rejoin after losing service during the recession. Wheaton and other agency staff acknowledged that service contracted in some places during the recession and said there is no guarantee service levels would not change in future downturns. They said the agency is trying to balance frequency in dense, urban areas with coverage for lower‑density communities and that restoring service requires local political decision‑making and likely a multi‑year ramp‑up to staff, equip and maintain added routes.
Pierce Transit staff said the draft plan is online and open for comment through Feb. 3, 2025; they offered to provide Sumner staff with route maps, historical frequencies and additional details for the council and public to review. No formal council action was taken during the study session.
