Council accepts Mobility for Islanders study and sends it to advisory committee for next steps

The Bainbridge Island City Council unanimously voted March 17 to accept a Mobility for Islanders study and referred the matter to the city’s Mobility Advisory Committee for recommendations on next steps.

Consultant Greg Drunkard of Mobility for All told the council the study focused on three gaps: after‑hours and weekend service for pedestrians arriving from the ferry, better connections around the Winslow business area and improved links to Lynnwood Center. Drunkard described a phased pilot approach that would combine a medium‑sized “circulator” vehicle with demand‑responsive vans for nights and weekends and said the model yields planning and startup costs in the range of $1.3 million to $1.6 million and steady‑state operations around $1.2 million annually.

The study’s central recommendation is a phased pilot that supplements Kitsap Transit’s existing services rather than replacing them. “When Kitsap Transit departs the area, then the service expands and it fills the void that they’ve left,” Drunkard said, arguing the pilot would use the same customer app and integrate with Kitsap Transit to present a seamless user experience.

Council members pressed for details on funding, operations and liability. Mayor Moriwaki warned that running a permanent city transit operation would create ongoing staffing and budget obligations. “If it does continue this is going to be a permanent add to a budget of which we are already constrained,” Moriwaki said. Council members and the consultant discussed alternatives including partnering with Kitsap Transit, contracting a third‑party operator, or buying a turnkey service from private vendors such as bellhop‑style providers.

Sanjay Bhatt, marketing and public information director at Kitsap Transit, called the agency a willing partner but cautioned that countywide constraints — union agreements, federal safety and procurement rules, and vehicle availability — shape what the agency can offer. “We have a lot of different services. When people say BI ride, it’s like that’s all they know,” Bhatt said, urging more public awareness of existing routes and demand‑response options.

Councilmember Mike Nelson moved to accept the report and refer it to the Mobility Advisory Committee for study and recommendations; the motion passed unanimously. The referral instructs the advisory body to examine operational options, funding paths (including transportation‑benefit‑district mechanisms and grant opportunities), and pilot metrics, and to return recommended next steps to council.

Next steps identified in the report and discussed by council include pursuing partnerships with Kitsap Transit, testing low‑cost awareness or carpool pilots, preparing an interlocal or contract scope if needed, and evaluating potential grant opportunities. The council and staff emphasized that the proposal is conceptual and that any implementation would require separate funding choices and council approval.

The council’s referral charges the Mobility Advisory Committee to report back with specific operational design, budget estimates (including potential one‑time startup and recurring operational costs), grant opportunities and recommended community outreach and performance metrics.