STA previews 2026 route changes; May tweak to Route 12, larger September shifts focused in North Spokane
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Spokane Transit Authority told the Transportation Commission it will publish a full 2026 service‑revisions report Nov. 5 and previewed a May stop adjustment for Route 12 and September consolidations and frequency changes aimed at adding service to underserved North Spokane neighborhoods.
Spokane Transit Authority on Oct. 15 previewed its 2026 service revisions, saying a formal report will be published Nov. 5 and public outreach will run through Dec. 15.
Emily Poole, interim chair of planning and development at STA, said the only change proposed for May 2026 is a minor routing and stop relocation for the Route 12 Southside Medical Shuttle to improve operator maneuvering and passenger sight lines. "It will be smoother for the operator. It will be safer for passengers," Poole said.
Larger adjustments are scheduled for September and largely affect North Spokane. STA proposes consolidating one branch of Route 20 onto Riverside and reducing daytime frequency from 15 to 30 minutes on that route because ridership at several stops has been consistently near zero. Revenue hours saved would fund an extension of Route 36 into the Hilliard neighborhood and create a new fixed-route connection in parts of Northeast Spokane that currently lack service, Poole said.
STA staff described related interlining changes that will alter transfer patterns with Route 33 and Route 223 (a school-oriented run). Poole said the agency measures proposed changes against annualized revenue hours; changes below a 2% difference are handled at the CEO level but still receive public outreach. "We always do public outreach. It just determines the scale," Poole said.
Commissioners pressed STA on outreach and equity. Poole said STA will target outreach geographically — flyers at affected stops, on-bus notices, neighborhood‑council meetings, social media and translated materials required under Title VI and state public-record rules.
Poole said paratransit boundaries will shift where fixed-route service is extended; paratransit serves areas within 0.75 miles of fixed routes, a change that could affect riders eligible for paratransit pickup in Northeast Spokane.
STA plans operator feedback during outreach and will accept refinements before changes take effect in May and September 2026. The agency will present the published 2026 service-revisions report on Nov. 5 and open an online survey about a week later.
What’s next: STA will finalize outreach materials and gather neighborhood and operator input through Dec. 15 before reporting interim results to the commission's people committee.