History of Swift Blue Line in Timeline

The Swift Blue Line is a 16.7-mile bus rapid transit route operated by Community Transit in Snohomish County, Washington. Part of the Swift system, it runs along the State Route 99 and Evergreen Way corridor, connecting Everett Station and Shoreline North/185th station. The route includes 36 stations located within the cities of Everett, Lynnwood, Edmonds, and Shoreline.

1910: Interurban Railway Service

In 1910, the Seattle–Everett Interurban Railway began running interurban service along the Pacific Highway.

1939: End of Interurban Railway Service

In 1939, the Seattle–Everett Interurban Railway service ended.

1976: Community Transit Founded

In 1976, Community Transit was founded as the public transit agency for Snohomish County and introduced local service from Everett to Aurora Village via State Route 99 on route 750.

1991: Highest Ridership Corridor

By 1991, the State Route 99 corridor had the highest ridership on both Community Transit and Everett Transit.

1996: Sound Transit Established

In 1996, Sound Transit was established as a regional transit authority and selected the State Route 99 corridor as a route for its express bus system, later replacing it with a route on Interstate 5.

2002: BAT Lanes Constructed

In 2002, Sound Transit funded the construction of business access and transit (BAT) lanes on State Route 99 through Lynnwood from 244th Street to 148th Street.

2003: Route Split

In 2003, Community Transit route 610 was split into two routes, 100 and 101.

2004: BRT Recommendation

In 2004, Community Transit's Strategic Planning Group published a recommendation for bus rapid transit service on the State Route 99 corridor.

December 2005: BRT Planning Accelerated

In December 2005, the CT Board of Directors approved an accelerated planning schedule for a bus rapid transit project.

July 26, 2006: Swift Unveiled

On July 26, 2006, Community Transit unveiled detailed plans for its bus rapid transit system, including the "Swift" name and logo.

December 5, 2007: Agreement Signed

On December 5, 2007, Community Transit signed an agreement with Everett Transit, which allowed for Swift to operate within Everett city limits.

December 3, 2008: Groundbreaking Ceremony

On December 3, 2008, a groundbreaking ceremony for the first Swift station was held at Airport Road in south Everett.

2008: Target Launch Date

In 2008, the bus rapid transit project aimed to begin service.

2008: Projected Start

In 2008, the first line of Swift was projected to begin operating.

May 5, 2009: Training Facility Opened

On May 5, 2009, the first station to be completed, a training facility at the Merrill Creek bus base, was opened during a media event.

May 2009: Grants Awarded

In May 2009, the stations were paid for by $1.6 million in regional mobility grants from the Washington State Department of Transportation to Everett Transit.

June 2009: Station Construction

In June 2009, construction of stations began with the installation of shelters, beacons, and other amenities.

September 2009: First Station Completed

In September 2009, the first station on the line was completed at 196th Street in Lynnwood.

November 29, 2009: Blue Line Opens

On November 29, 2009, the Blue Line opened with 28 stations as "Swift". It became the first bus rapid transit system in Washington state, with a construction cost of $29 million.

May 2010: Vision 2040 Award

In May 2010, Community Transit earned a Vision 2040 Award from the Puget Sound Regional Council due to the successful launch of Swift.

June 2010: Curb Bumpers Installed

In June 2010, curb bumpers were installed to help guide buses closer to the raised platform.

December 2010: Infill Stations Added

In December 2010, four infill stations located in Everett were added to Swift.

2010: RapidRide Opens

In 2010, King County's RapidRide opened a year after Swift.

2010: Sunday Service Suspended

In 2010, Sunday service was suspended entirely due to budget cuts.

2010: Service Reduction

In 2010, the rest of Community Transit service was reduced due to the grants paying for the majority of the cost to operate Swift.

January 2011: Infill Stations Added

In January 2011, four infill stations located in Everett were added to Swift.

2011: Infill Stations Open

In 2011, four infill stations in Everett were opened.

February 2012: Service Reduction

In February 2012, a major system-wide service reduction reduced the weekday headway to 12 minutes.

2012: Queue Jump Signal Installed

In 2012, a queue jump signal for northbound buses was installed at 148th Street Station.

2013: Real-Time Arrival Signs Debuted

In 2013, real-time arrival signs debuted at Swift stations, featuring a countdown to the arrival of the next bus.

February 2014: RapidRide E Line Introduction

In February 2014, bus service on Aurora Avenue North was upgraded to bus rapid transit with the introduction of the RapidRide E Line, which terminates at Aurora Village Transit Center.

June 2015: Refuge Island Removed

In June 2015, the Washington State Department of Transportation removed part of the refuge island at the intersection of State Route 99 and Airport Road to create a through lane exclusively for Swift buses.

2015: Sunday Service Restored

In 2015, Sunday service was restored after being suspended in 2010.

2015: High Ridership

In 2015, the Blue Line carried a total of 1,621,838 riders, making it the most popular route operated by Community Transit and accounting for 16.2% of the agency's total ridership.

February 3, 2016: College Station Opens

On February 3, 2016, a southbound Swift station, College Station at 204th Street SW in Lynnwood, was opened.

August 12, 2016: Swift Rebrand Announced

On August 12, 2016, Community Transit announced a rebrand for Swift to the "Swift Blue Line", while the planned Swift II line would become the Green Line.

August 2016: Blue Line Moniker

In August 2016, the line gained the "Blue Line" moniker with the announcement of a second line, the Green Line.

September 2018: Frequency Restored

In September 2018, the 10-minute weekday frequency was restored.

March 2019: Green Line Opens

In March 2019, the Green Line opened as the second line.

March 24, 2019: Green Line Opened

On March 24, 2019, the Green Line opened and connects with the Blue Line at Airport Road Station.

September 2019: Saturday Frequency Increase

In September 2019, Saturday frequency was increased from 20 minutes to 15 minutes.

March 2020: Service Reduced Due to COVID-19

In March 2020, service on the Blue Line was reduced to every 12 minutes on weekdays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fare collection was also suspended until June 1.

June 2020: Meridian Avenue Corridor Selected

In June 2020, Community Transit chose the Meridian Avenue corridor for the extension to emphasize connections at the existing transit center, prioritizing it over two other options on Aurora Avenue.

September 2020: Full Service Restored

In September 2020, full service was restored.

August 2023: New Northbound Station at 196th

A northbound station at 196th Street opened in August 2023 as part of preparations for the future Orange Line, which has a transfer at the intersection. It is the first station to use an updated Swift design with longer windscreens, improved station signage and digital kiosks, and a new roof.

September 14, 2024: Blue Line Extension to Shoreline North/185th Station

On September 14, 2024, the Blue Line was extended through Shoreline to connect with Link light rail at Shoreline North/185th station. The extension opened two weeks after the station opened as part of the Lynnwood Link Extension.

September 2024: Blue Line Extended

In September 2024, the Blue Line was extended south from Aurora Village to Shoreline North/185th station following the opening of the Lynnwood Link light rail project.