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Council approves enhanced weekend SunRunner frequency and opens new downtown stop
Summary
The council unanimously approved a resolution to increase SunRunner frequency on Friday and Saturday nights and to place a new downtown SunRunner station into service, with city funding of $75,000 for the current fiscal year drawn from the parking revenue fund.
The City Council unanimously approved a resolution on Jan. 9 to begin enhanced SunRunner bus service frequency on Friday and Saturday nights and to put a new waterfront station at First Avenue North into service.
Evan Morey, presenting for the city, said the SunRunner route (in service since fall 2023) includes enhanced stations and hybrid buses and operates generally every 15 minutes; evening frequency had dropped to 30 minutes to conserve operating budget. He told council that SunRunner came in below budget and the city will dedicate $75,000 from the parking revenue fund to support the enhanced weekend frequency through the remainder of the current fiscal year, with a three‑percent annual escalator for the next two fiscal years and an option to renew for two additional years.
Why it matters: The enhancement reduces Friday and Saturday night headways from 30 minutes to 15 minutes (practically reducing mean wait at the stop from 15 to 7.5 minutes during those service windows). City and PSTA officials said the change is intended to improve downtown mobility, reduce parking demand and bolster transit usage for leisure and visitor trips.
PSTA staff and board members, including Abhishek Dayal (director of project management for PSTA), attended the meeting. Dayal said the new downtown stop at First Avenue North opens the morning after the meeting and the enhanced evening frequency would start that night if council approved the resolution. Dayal also announced he has accepted a new job outside the region and thanked the council and staff for the partnership.
Councilmembers praised the agency’s responsiveness during recent emergencies, including free rides after storms and coordinated shuttles during disaster recovery operations. Councilmember Gina Driscoll, who moved approval, and Councilmember Deborah Fig Sanders spoke in favor of the enhanced service and thanked PSTA for prior collaborations.
Action: Council approved the resolution unanimously; clerk announced: “motion to pass the tune of F1 passes unanimously.”
Key contract/funding details disclosed during the presentation: the city will allocate $75,000 from the parking revenue fund for the current fiscal year; the initial term covers two additional fiscal years after the current one with a 3% escalator each year and an option to renew for two more years; the enhanced frequency targets the two highest‑usage leisure nights (Friday and Saturday).
