Pullman to push bus service to airport
Mar. 27—Pullman Transit will expand bus services to the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport later this spring.
City councilors heard from Pullman Transit Director Wayne Thompson on the venture during their regular meeting Tuesday night. The move is planned to go in hand-in-hand with recent developments at the airport.
Since 2022, the airport has been working on constructing a 9,000-square-foot terminal. The $90 million project was completed in December, and the terminal is expected to open this May.
The improvement is one of many large feats the airport has accomplished, like securing Embraer 175 jets in 2022 to increase flight services and a $150 million runway expansion in 2019.
The additional transit service was made possible by a nearly $587,000 grant from the Washington state Rural Mobility program, Thompson said. The grant was awarded last spring and funding was made available in July 2023. But with struggles of returning to full staff, the expansion was delayed, he added.
Also, Thompson said many didn't realize how long it takes to build buses. The transportation service anticipates receiving three 30-foot electric buses with luggage racks by spring 2025.
The service will become available when the airport terminal opens. It's designated as a fixed 45- to 50-minute route, only stopping at the airport when there's an incoming or outgoing flight, Thompson said.
Operational hours and regular stops wouldn't be affected by the addition. Along with service in the day, late night and early morning rides to the airport will be available, Thompson said. The only exception is during holidays like New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day when the transit system is closed.
With the help from Alaska Airlines, Thompson added, the transportation service will have access to weekly flight schedules. Thompson said typically there are four arrivals and four departures daily, along with seasonal Boise service.
The addition will create up to 16 hours of new driver time, Thompson said.
Councilors Nathan Weller and Carla de Lira voiced support for the expansion. From the standpoint of a former student, de Lira said, she saw it as a highly popular idea and one people have been asking for some time now.
During the meeting the council heard from two public commenters on Americans with Disabililties Act parking as part of Project Downtown, the city-led effort to revitalize downtown.
Elizabeth Siler and Pamela Lee, both of Pullman, asked for the consideration of two ADA parking spaces on Main Street between Kamiaken Street and Grand Avenue.
Siler said the project has been pushed forward "behind our wheelchairs and our walkers." She added the effort, unpopular among the community, has been looked at as a necessity for the disabled population even though it won't fix the issue of limited ADA parking on Main.
She said the town will be "right back where it started," with disabled people unable to park and visit downtown.
Lee said the suggested block is where most of downtown's restaurants and coffee shops are located. She added the planned ADA parking spots are not providing accessibility.
The closest ADA parking spot near the recommended location is on Olsen Street, Lee said. One on Main would make downtown more available to the disabled community.
Pearce can be reached at epearce@dnews.com
