Planning commission reviews Everett 2044 transportation element; transit service gaps, sidewalks, freight and bike policy debated

Everett Planning Commission members reviewed the transportation element of the Everett 2044 comprehensive plan during their Jan. 21 meeting, hearing a transit overview from Everett Transit and staff about draft goals, projects and policy priorities ahead of a late‑March draft plan and environmental review.

The commission heard that Everett Transit wants to integrate local service with regional systems and support a projected expansion of light‑rail and bus rapid transit. Sabina Raya, Everett Transit deputy director, said the update ties transit goals to land‑use changes and emphasized affordability and electrification plans: “We are excited about transit… it really is one of the most critical resources we have to manage mobility,” Raya said, noting local routes, regional connections and plans for fleet electrification and operations facilities.

Commissioners pressed staff and Everett Transit on specific service gaps, safety and infrastructure. The discussion focused on four practical issues: the span and frequency of bus service for late‑shift workers; pedestrian access and sidewalk/ADA gaps near stops; freight routing through downtown; and the quality and protection of bike lanes.

Why it matters

The transportation element will guide zoning, parking policy and infrastructure priorities in Everett through 2044. Changes to stop spacing, parking exemptions near transit, or prioritization of bike and freight routes will affect commute options, commercial deliveries and safety for pedestrians and transit users — including those working late hours who said current service often leaves them without a ride home.

Key details from the presentation and commission discussion

- Ridership and goals: Staff described a regional goal to triple transit ridership by 2044 and said regional planning will use 2023 as a new baseline. Sabina Raya reported Everett Transit had roughly 1,750,000 boardings in 2024 — a figure she said slightly exceeded 2019 levels — and that earlier peaks approached about 2,500,000 boardings in the 2000s. Raya also linked goals to the Puget Sound Regional Council’s regional transportation plan.

- Budget and fare revenue: Raya said Everett Transit’s 2023 farebox revenue was about $1,000,000 while total operating expenditures for fixed route and paratransit were close to $29,000,000 (about $18,000,000 for fixed route). Raya noted farebox recovery is a small portion of operating costs and mentioned federal grant rules have been cited in discussions about fare‑free service options.

- Service span and equity concerns: Commissioners raised multiple examples of riders — especially retail and late‑shift workers — who cannot catch late buses after shifts end. Commissioner Sullivan urged the plan to target those gaps, saying retail workers “cannot catch a bus home” after late shifts. Raya acknowledged tradeoffs between increasing frequency and extending spans of service and said some routes already operate past 11 p.m. but not all.

- Route changes and local impacts: Staff said some ridership increases followed pandemic service restorations. Raya described Route 70 (a commuter route) being removed during the pandemic and later restored as part of Route 18; that change affected travel patterns along Mukilteo Boulevard and other corridors. Commissioners noted Route 7 and Route 29 together carry a large share of local riders.

- Transit access and sidewalks/ADA: Staff reported the city maintains an inventory of sidewalks and an ADA transition plan and that sidewalk prioritization is being updated as part of the comp‑plan process. Commissioners and staff agreed that missing sidewalks and unsafe crossings reduce the effective walk‑shed to transit stops and that stop accessibility is being considered in prioritization work.

- Light rail and station siting: Raya said Everett Transit staff have participated in internal city discussions about preferred light‑rail station options at several candidate sites (Mariner, Airport Road, Southwest Industrial, Evergreen, Casino, and Everett Station) and that the city will form staff recommendations for the mayor and Sound Transit board.

- Freight mobility and safety: Commissioners asked how the plan addresses heavy freight and port traffic. Staff said the draft adds freight as an explicit planning goal (policy TR‑5) and that the city seeks to direct port traffic to designated routes (for example, Rucker toward 41st) and reduce conflicts in downtown. The group discussed potential measures (loading zones, off‑street staging, and in some cases larger design changes) to separate freight movements from pedestrian and bicycle facilities.

- Bike lanes and bicycle master plan: Commissioners criticized the quality and protection of recent bike facilities and urged more protected, direct routes where feasible. Staff noted a bicycle master‑plan update will follow the comprehensive plan and acknowledged the city’s recent bike installations reflect evolving best practices and tradeoffs of right‑of‑way and grade.

Questions about data and outreach

Commissioners asked for more granular rider origin‑destination data and for targeted outreach to regular riders (focus groups or paid panels) in addition to general public comment. Raya said stop‑level boardings are available but origin‑destination data are limited because ORCA cards do not capture tap‑off data; she mentioned some agencies use anonymized cellphone or employer zip‑code data to infer patterns. Staff said Everett Transit and the city plan additional outreach tied to the draft long‑range transit plan and the comp‑plan DEIS.

Next steps and timeline

Planning staff said they aim to deliver a complete draft plan and draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) by the end of March, send it to state agencies and the Puget Sound Regional Council for review, run a 30‑day public comment period on the DEIS, then publish a final EIS and prepare a Planning Commission recommendation ahead of eventual City Council action. Staff noted the city’s schedule is constrained by required environmental review and by the state’s upcoming middle‑housing rules timeline.

No formal votes or policy adoptions were taken at this meeting; the item was a staff presentation and commission discussion.

Ending

Staff encouraged commissioners to submit additional written comments and said the plan will return for detailed review and public hearings as the draft DEIS is released. The commission also learned the city plans an open house targeted to boards and commissions and the public before the formal public‑hearing phase of the comp‑plan update.