STA was excited to welcome Senator Marko Liias, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, to Spokane to tour transportation projects and plans around the region on Friday, June 10.
As chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Sen. Liias championed the 2022 Move Ahead Washington transportation package which will invest nearly $17 billion in transportation resources across the state over the next 16 years.
STA CEO E. Susan Meyer welcomed Sen. Liias to the agency’s Boone campus. The senator was joined by Mayor Chris Grover of Cheney and Regional Administrator for the Eastern Region of WSDOT Mike Gribner to see STA’s new zero emission busses, construction progress along the future City Line, and the planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route along Division Street.
The tour began in the Boone NW Garage with demonstrations of both rapid and overnight charging stations for the battery-electric buses in STA’s fleet.
It continued by bus aboard one of the new vehicles for the City Line, a 60-foot Xcelsior CHARGE New Flyer. The City Line is slated to begin service in July 2023.
The tour began along the City Line route through Browne’s Addition. During a stop at the STA Plaza, Sen. Liias was shown recent improvements including improved digital signage displaying arrivals and departures.
The tour continued along the City Line route through the Gonzaga campus and Spokane Community College Transit Center, where the group was given a demonstration of en-route charging. From SCC, the tour transitioned to the future Division Street BRT route.
Learn more about City Line, Division Street BRT and STA’s zero emission buses.
