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The City of Everett and Community Transit announced plans to resume work toward consolidating Everett Transit and Community Transit, a move aimed at forming a unified transit network serving Everett and Snohomish County.
Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin and Community Transit CEO Ric Ilgenfritz said the effort will focus on developing an interlocal agreement for annexing Everett into Community Transit’s district. The proposal is expected to go before the Everett City Council and the Community Transit Board of Directors this fall.
The long-discussed consolidation comes as Everett’s population and transit demand continue to grow and as the region prepares for the arrival of light rail service. Officials said the effort is intended to better integrate local bus networks with regional transit systems.
“Consolidation will make it easier for people to travel between Everett and existing Link light rail service in Lynnwood, and throughout the county,” Franklin said. “It will provide the local bus connections essential to support future light rail service in Everett.”
Under a consolidated system, officials said riders would see more frequent service, fewer transfers and improved connections across the region.
“Through this annexation we can offer Everett residents more connections, more destinations and more frequent buses,” Ilgenfritz said. “We can provide shorter waits, with more service all day long and through the evening hours.”
“We need smart approaches to the future of a strong, connected, regional transit system that gets people where they need to go as our community continues to grow,” Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers said. “I think this is a positive and forward-thinking step by Mayor Franklin and our partners at Everett and Community Transit, who already do so much to connect our county. I believe this will help our residents as they work, learn, play, and otherwise move through our region.”
The current effort builds on earlier work, including the city’s Rethink Transit study conducted in 2022 and 2023 and the More Transit Together report completed in September 2023, which outlined an initial vision for a consolidated network. The process was paused in early 2024 to address other priorities.
If approved, the interlocal agreement would allow a reconfigured Community Transit Board, including Everett representation, to oversee planning, public engagement and implementation. Officials said service changes would be phased in over about a year, with existing transit networks largely maintained during the transition.
Planning would include not only fixed-route bus services but also investments in microtransit, paratransit and vanpool services, as well as efforts to unify fare structures.
The agreement would be developed under provisions of Washington state law sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias of Edmonds, which allow annexation through approval by the Everett City Council and Community Transit Board following a public hearing.
“Snohomish County is growing, and the entire county deserves robust access to transit,” Liias said.
“Transportation infrastructure represents one of the most important levers for promoting economic opportunity, jobs and a high quality of life,” said Economic Alliance Snohomish County President and CEO Ray Stephanson. “Moving to a single, integrated network serving our county is important to every resident, whether they currently ride transit or not.”
When Community Transit was formed in 1976—50 years ago—the City of Everett opted to maintain a city-only transit system rather than join the network that grew to provide service spanning Snohomish County’s fast-growing cities as well as rural areas. As regional growth continues, creating more demand for seamless connections, Franklin emphasized it is unsustainable that the county’s largest city continue to be served by a separate transit system with inadequate resources.
Officials said the proposed agreement would ensure Everett is compensated for assets transferred as part of the consolidation. If approved, Community Transit’s 1.2% sales tax rate would apply in Everett, where the current transit sales tax is about half that level.
Ilgenfritz and Franklin said they recognize the proposal may raise concerns among employees and pledged to work together to address them while protecting workers’ financial interests and supporting a smooth transition.
“Community Transit owes its track record of achieving steady ridership growth to our dedicated union employees who keep our services running every day. With this annexation, our workforce will grow, both by welcoming Everett Transit employees and by hiring still more staff to support expected service growth in the near and long term,” Ilgenfritz said. “One of our most important strategic priorities at Community Transit is continuously working to strengthen the employee experience. I am committed to protecting employees’ financial interests while providing a positive experience during this transition.”
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