Auburn on board: Shuttle service gets the green light

Demand for parking at the Auburn Sounder Station is already high, and it can only grow as people continue to scout alternatives to taking their single-occupancy vehicles onto the region’s crowded freeways.

A new financial partnership among the City of Auburn, Pierce Transit and Sound Transit aims to lighten some of the load on the station by creating a new means to get to it – a peak-hour shuttle service from Lakeland Hills to and from the station, timed to meet the comings and goings of the Sounder trains. It will start service Feb. 9.

At the moment, Lakeland Hills has no transit service at all.

Then in February 2010, a second service, the Auburn Community Shuttle – routes 910 and 919 – will begin operation, providing a non-peak-hour circulator service to get residents and workers between their homes, jobs, major commercial areas, and community facilities, including the Auburn Senior Activities Center. It will operate under an agreement between the City of Auburn and King County Metro.

The Lakeland Hills Commuter Shuttle will run between Lake Tapps Parkway and the Auburn Station, with one-way service to the station in the morning peak hours and from the station to Lakeland Hills in the evening peak hours.

The City of Auburn was awarded both projects in 2007 after King County Metro Transit held a competition for projects to be funded through its Transit Now Partnership Program.

Former Auburn City Councilman Roger Thordarson has been the driving force behind the community shuttle for the last three years. and since February has chaired the city’s Transportation, Transit and Trails Committee that has focused on the service.

He compared it to Kent’s Shopper Shuttle.

“The community has been wanting it for quite a while to get around,” Thordarson said. “Lots of people don’t have cars, or can’t afford them, and that makes it tough getting to appointments.”

Pierce Transit Spokesman Lars Erickson said two park-and ride lots will provide parking for the Lakeland Hills Commuter Shuttle: the first will be at Sunset Park in Lakeland Hills; the second will be in the parking lot of the Family Life Center Church of God at 400 Lakeland Hills Way. Pierce Transit will provide three 25-foot transit “Bus Plus” vehicles — two active, one spare.

The shuttle will operate until Feb. 7, 2010. After that, it will run an additional five years on the basis of another agreement among the City of Auburn, Pierce Transit and King County Metro Transit.

Linda Robson, a spokeswoman for Sound Transit, said the agency has agreed to pick up a portion of the costs for the first year of service to get the route up and running as soon as possible to help alleviate the parking situation and give commuters an option other than driving alone to the train station.

“King County Metro will then pick up that portion of the costs beginning in 2010,” Robson said.

The Lakeland Hills Commuter Shuttle Service will cost $292,178 per year. Pierce Transit’s contribution will be $58,435, the City of Auburn will add $116,871 and King County’s share will be $116,871.

The Auburn Community Shuttle, routes 910 and 919, will be created by splitting the existing Route 919 and expanding service into two separate parts. Route 919 will be changed into a community shuttle connecting 40th Street Northeast and I Street Northeast to the YMCA and Supermall area via the Sounder Station. Route 910 will assume the southern portion of the existing Route 919 and will connect the Dogwood neighborhood, Auburn Senior Center and Sounder Station via Auburn Way South.

The Community Shuttle will run for five years under an agreement between the City of Auburn and King County at a total cost of $218,055 per year. Auburn’s share will be $100,000 per year, and the county’s share will be $118,000 per year.

Auburn Reporter News reporter Robert Whale can be reached at rwhale@reporternewspapers.com or 253-833-0218, ext. 5052.

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