The Community Transit Board of Directors last week approved several minor route changes that will go into effect in February 2013, including a change to Route 112 that serves Mountlake Terrace at the Transit Center at 236th Street Southwest and I-5, and along 236th Street Southwest and 44th Avenue West/Cedar Way. The changes are a continuation of service adjustments following a complete bus network restructuring that took place in February 2012.

Beginning in February of next year, Route 112 buses will be routed into the Lynnwood Transit Center from 44th Avenue West along 200th Street Southwest northbound, and 48th Avenue and 194th Street southbound. Community Transit reports that the reroute will improve connections to local businesses and other buses, and improve transfers.

In addition to route changes, the agency will add 30 commuter trips between South Snohomish County and downtown Seattle and the University of Washington. These changes are funded by a federal grant and state matching money, at no extra cost to the transit agency. No final schedules are available yet, but some of the additional community trips into Seattle are expect to be added to Routes 413 and 415, which serve the Mountlake Terrace Transit Center.

Funding for these additional commuter trips comes from a new state transit fund and a Federal Transit Administration Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant to alleviate congestion on I-5 during peak hours. The trips will be distributed among the morning and afternoon peak times based on demand. Community Transit had not planned to add service due to budget constraints, but these funding sources allow the agency to operate these trips at no extra cost.