Transit director proposes downtown 'free zone' and shuttle changes to ease berth‑4 congestion
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Summary
Transit Director Kian Reeves reported record ridership and proposed a pilot summer plan that shortens downtown shuttle loops, expands a downtown free‑boarding zone to increase frequency, adds a peak‑hour green line, and raises the out‑of‑zone re‑boarding fare to $5 to encourage mobile ticketing.
Ketchikan Transit Director Kian Reeves briefed the borough assembly on a record year for ridership and a set of summer pilot proposals intended to reduce congestion at Berth 4 and improve downtown circulation.
Reeves said the system recorded its best year ever and that paratransit and the BusPlus program have grown substantially. To address crowding at the cruise‑ship landing he proposed shortening the downtown shuttle loop to boost frequency (to roughly 10 minutes) and creating an expanded downtown "free zone" spanning between the Plaza Mall and the Downtown Heritage Center. Within that free zone riders could board without paying a fare and the transit operation would enable dual‑door boarding to speed loading. Reeves explained the pilot would be limited to peak visitor hours and is reversible: "This is absolutely a pilot... if it's not working, then we'd want to shift back very quickly," he said.
Under the concept, riders who travel outside the free zone and re‑board would be charged a single $5 fare on return (a modest increase compared with current prices), while existing token and mobile passes would remain available and encouraged. Reeves said the proposal would not require large increases in staff time but would reduce the need to add vehicles by using capacity more efficiently.
Reeves also noted transit would seek to coordinate signage and outreach with the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau and would continue work on a Transit Development Plan and paratransit improvements.
What the assembly asked and next steps: members asked about annual passes and implementation details; Reeves said the annual adult pass is $179 and annual senior passes are $99, and that the borough would return with a fare‑ordinance amendment if the pilot moves forward.
