SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Transit Authority (STA) is in the final stages before launching its new ten-year strategic plan. Some community members, however, are saying the priorities for this plan are not in alignment with the community’s needs.
On any given weekday, around 36,000 people take rides from STA’s transit system. As the city grows, that number is expected to rise.
To address this growth, STA developed Connect 2035. This ten-year plan has several initiatives aimed at improving the city’s transit.
“STA board is seeking to serve these low-density areas with transit, because they have failed to provide an adequate transportation system themselves,” said Erik Lowe, the founder of Spokane Reimagined.
Lowe has expressed concerns about Connect 2035. STA said it had over 13,500 touchpoints from riders and community members on the strategic plan. It held meetings, conducted surveys, and held listening sessions with organizations and businesses. Lowe said he appreciated all of this community outreach, but felt the right questions where not being asked.
“STA can only provide and only should provide routes where the people are. And low density, neighborhoods like Eagle Ridge just aren’t where the people are,” Lowe said. “The people are along Monroe that people are along the city line, but people are along division. And that’s where we should be prioritizing our transit resources.
Surveys showed a disconnect between STA’s priorities and the public’s needs. While the STA board said its priority is on Mobility on Demand, a pilot program that would offer rides for underserved communities, the public preferred a focus on future high-performance transit corridors. Both are included in the draft strategic plan, giving balance to both parties feedback.
STA said in a statement to KXLY “the feedback received was analyzed to generate a draft strategic plan that best meets the needs of the region as a whole that could be accomplished with existing resources over the next 10 years. The draft strategic plan includes a pilot of an eligibility-based reduced fare program for riders experiencing low incomes; planning and designing for future High Performance Transit corridors; and the implementation of Mobility on Demand pilots in underserved areas.”
But people like Sarah Rose, a volunteer with Spokane Reimagined, believe long-term solutions like rail systems are being ignored.
“Long term transportation ideas are more important,” Rose said. “So things that have more physical permanent infrastructure, such as tram lines that run through our city.”
STA said that Connect 2035 does not have the funds to support a rail system and that it is too lengthy of a project for the 10 year timeframe.
Both Lowe and Rose acknowledge STA’s efforts, but want to see the plan fully address the needs of all residents.
“The desire to see things through,” Lowe said. “For Spokane residents and Spokane County residents who pay into the public transit benefit area.”
STA board has the final say on Connect 2035 but if you want to weigh in, you can do so at a public hearing on Nov. 21 at 1:30 p.m. You can also attend virtually. STA said feedback provided during the public hearing will be considered. https://staconnect2035.com/news/
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