By Julia Berkman
The wheels on the bus are changing routes all through the town. Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) has decided to overhaul their old schedules and routes to streamline their services; their new routes started on March 19.
In the past few years, Whatcom Transit has added routes on top of pre-existing ones due to high demand. For example, with the addition of the student housing complex North by Northwest (NXNW), WTA added routes 90A and 90B.
Now, the routes Bellingham buses follow are becoming increasingly serpentine and complicated. Rather than add routes to keep up with rising demands, WTA has done a rework of their system.
“I haven’t seen much about this, so I’m worried people won’t know how to get places anymore,” said sophomore Sabrina Vlad. “I looked at the schedule online, but I honestly was really confused. These new routes don’t make any sense.”
After living in Bellingham for at least a year, most people begin to memorize the buses they often take. For example, 32nd Street residents know the exact time the 105 leaves Western. The bus overhaul could mean changing one’s entire routine in order to get home. The 105 is being converted into the 5, which runs through downtown rather than through campus. 32nd Street students are being asked to walk up to Bill Macdonald, an inaccessible walk for many people with limited mobility.
Other students in less frequented neighborhoods, such as Lincoln Street or the Lettered Streets, are concerned about the lack of buses reaching them. For example, the 197 and 196, along with both the 90A and the 90B, are being scrapped in favor of the 190, which doesn’t loop around at the Park and Ride, and instead goes to downtown and campus. Unfortunately, these buses stop around 8:30 p.m., meaning any student living on Lincoln street will have to resort to Western’s Late Night Shuttle. Most nights, the Late Night Shuttle doesn’t begin service until 11:00 p.m..
These dead hours in areas where no buses will be provided is WTA’s main source of controversy. While each area is still serviced, many buses stop running at 9:00 p.m., leaving people stranded.
People fairly close to campus may be upset at the lack of convenience, while people living out in more remote areas, such as Bakerview or Cordata, should be overjoyed that their requests are being upheld. There are now at least two buses headed to every far-reaching corner of the Whatcom area.
So, while far-off residents may be happy with WTA’s new ideas, many Western students have been inconvenienced by the streamlined routes.
