EVERETT — Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin authorized a south Everett bus route to provide fare-free service through the next six months in response to Fred Meyer’s decision to close its Casino Road location.
The move means Everett Transit’s Route 12, a route that runs between the Everett Mall and Seaway Transit Center near Boeing, will be free to riders through March 2026. The route, which primarily runs along West Casino Road, passes by the intersection of Casino Road and Evergreen Way, the location of the soon-to-close Fred Meyer.
Mall Station, one of Route 12’s end points, is located next to two grocery options, a Trader Joe’s and a Walmart. It’s also a transfer point for a number of other bus routes that travel throughout the city.
Franklin, who announced the decision at a council meeting Wednesday, said the city’s transit agency will also operate a small shuttle to bring people from Mall Station to the nearby Walmart.
“Our team is working hard to assist those impacted by the Fred Meyer closure to understand their needs, to identify barriers and open up opportunities,” Franklin said Wednesday.“I’m excited to allow everyone along Casino Road and Everett Mall the opportunity to access amenities like Walmart and Trader Joe’s, Sevan Pharmacy and other retail options at the mall. Thank you so much to our Everett Transit team for making that happen.”
City code amended in 2022 gave the mayor power to provide temporary fare-free transit service in the event of an emergency. This is the first time Franklin has exercised this power.
Everett Transit’s Director Mike Schmieder said the agency coordinated with city administration and residents in the Casino Road area to make sure the community will have adequate transportation to access needed services.
“By eliminating fares from Route 12, we are removing a financial barrier that may have prevented community members from accessing groceries following the closure of Fred Meyer on Evergreen Way,” Schmieder wrote in a statement Thursday. “We’re hoping to ease the transition period as residents of the Casino Road area adjust to this significant change.”
In August, Kroger announced that it would close the Fred Meyer location along Casino Road in south Everett in mid-October, taking away a crucial grocery option for a dense, diverse, lower-income neighborhood.
The grocery chain cited a steady rise in theft and a challenging regulatory environment as reasons for the closure. Everett Police Department statistics showed that after the city began emphasis patrols and implemented a buffer zone around the grocery store, reports of shoplifting decreased significantly since 2020.
Shortly after the announcement, Franklin and six of the seven City Council members approved a resolution rebuking Kroger for the closure.
Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.
