Pierce Transit returned to its permanent Downtown Tacoma transit facility on Commerce Street this Sunday, February 16.

All Pierce Transit local service buses and Sound Transit express buses will use designated zones along Commerce Street between South 9th and South 13th streets. The Commerce Street transit facility serves more than 5,000 riders and approximately 1,350 buses each weekday.

During the one-year absence from Commerce Street Pierce Transit made improvements to the transit facility with the objective of improving connections for riders. Loading zone space was increased to allow four additional buses to be at curbside. This will help facilitate passenger loading and unloading, lessen traffic congestion, and reduce the overall time of the bus at the transit facility.

Riders will also notice new easy-to-read zone signs that include route numbers and destinations, brighter lighting, a remodeled Bus Shop, and two very obvious sets of Link light rail tracks. The Sound Transit light rail service is scheduled to begin service on Labor Day of this year.

On February 3 of last year, temporary bus stops were located along Market Street between 9th and 13th streets. Pierce Transit cooperated with Sound Transit and the City of Tacoma during the Link Light Rail construction project in downtown Tacoma. During the process of laying the rails for the Sound Transit Link Light Rail project, automobile and bus traffic was disrupted along the length of Commerce Street in downtown Tacoma.

For detailed information on routes and schedules visit the Pierce Transit web site at www.piercetransit.org; call customer service at 253/581-8000, or pick up a schedule book from a transit center or Pierce Transit bus operator.