In 2024, WSDOT explored how to improve intercity bus service to better meet the needs of rural communities across Washington State. The Connecting Communities study explored where potential service expansion would be most cost-effective while addressing the goal of linking rural areas to the existing intercity network, transportation hubs, and urban centers. One focus of the update was to explore service expansion in the Yakima Valley and along the I-90 corridor.
Timeline
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Timeline item 1 - complete
Phase 1 - Understanding Intercity Bus Service Gaps
During Phase 1, the project team gathered information about how intercity bus riders use existing services and which improvements riders and current non-riders would like to see to improve intercity bus services.
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Timeline item 2 - complete
Phase 2 - Proposing Improvements to the Intercity Bus System
During this phase, the project team, based on community input and data analysis in Phase 1, developed proposals for improvements to intercity bus services.
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Timeline item 3 - complete
Phase 3 - Final Recommendations and Plan
In this phase, the project team revised the proposal from Phase 2 to reflect community input. The final plan is available here and includes prioritized recommendations for improving intercity bus service.
