Community Transit funds design of major transit center expansion
Published 11:20 am Monday, July 6, 2026
EVERETT — Community Transit’s board of directors voted Thursday to approve a contract with an engineering firm to design a significant expansion of the Smokey Point Transit Center near Arlington.
A preliminary design completed in 2025 showed that the transit center, which currently includes five bus bays, will be expanded to allow for 13 bus bays, including space for both 40 and 60-foot buses, dedicated space for paratransit services and microtransit shuttles, as well as a new pick up and drop off area.
Other features of the expanded bus bay will include charging stations for electric buses, a new break room for drivers, a security office and improved pedestrian access to the facility.
Morgan McGrath, the transit agency’s bus rapid transit manager, said the design will also include more greenery and wood elements to beautify the station.
“Obviously, going from five to 13 bays is a big investment and we’re really expanding our service,” McGrath said during Thursday’s board meeting. “We really wanted to focus on having a kind of ‘hub of the north.’”
The board awarded the $2.7 million contract for the final design of the facility to Kimley-Horn, an Everett engineering firm. The total cost of the project, including construction, is expected to amount to $22.6 million, spokesperson Monica Spain wrote in an email Thursday. It is partially funded by a $9.4 million federal grant, and the transit agency is seeking additional state grants to reduce the local contribution, Spain wrote.
Design of the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, McGrath said. The expanded facility is expected to open by the end of 2029.
The transit center is set to be the northern terminus for the Swift Gold Line, the transit agency’s next bus rapid transit line that will stretch 15 miles, connecting Arlington and Marysville to downtown Everett with frequent buses. That bus line, planned to open in 2031, is expected to come with roadway upgrades like center-running bus lanes to improve travel times along the corridor.
Community Transit has also allocated about $8.6 million for upgrades to Everett Station’s Swift bus rapid transit terminal.
Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.
