BELLINGHAM - Two shuttle routes will carry people to and from the Fairhaven Festival during Ski to Sea this year on Sunday, May 29, helping to alleviate the traffic and parking crunch.
One route will run between Western Washington University's Lot C and Fairhaven. Another will run from Zuanich Point Park to Boundary Bay Brewery and to Fairhaven. A ticket is $2 for unlimited rides.
"We're hoping to alleviate the cars at Fairhaven and Zuanich," said Mel Monkelis, Ski to Sea coordinator.
In past years, Whatcom Transportation Authority has provided buses to carry people between WWU and Fairhaven. This year, WTA won't be restoring Sunday bus service that was cut last fall until mid-June, however.
Event organizers have arranged to coordinate two other shuttles. Old Fairhaven Association has hired Ferndale-based Bellair Charters to provide service between WWU and Fairhaven. Richard Johnson, owner of Bellair Charters, said they'll have two 47-passenger buses driving between those locations, with a third, smaller, disabled-accessible van available if needed.
John Servais, who serves on the Old Fairhaven Association's Fairhaven Festival committee, said shuttle usage has increased in past years. Now, more than 1,000 people use the WWU-to-Fairhaven shuttle on Ski to Sea race day.
This year, for the first time, a separate shuttle will carry people between Zuanich Point Park, where the mountain bike riders hand off to the kayakers, downtown and Fairhaven. The Ski to Sea organizers hired The Baker Bus to provide that service. The main loading point for that service will be at Boundary Bay Brewery, on Railroad Avenue between Chestnut and Maple streets, because there's much parking available downtown on that day, Monkelis said.
They'll have one 53-passenger bus and three 16-person buses running, he said.
In future years, WTA may be an option again. WTA General Manager Richard Walsh said if WTA has a regular route going from WWU to Fairhaven, it'll add buses to handle Fairhaven Festival goers, as it has previously done. It adds extra capacity other times when it expects high ridership, he said.
"I don't perceive this as being a problem in future years," he said.
He disagrees with Bellair Charters owner Johnson, who says WTA violated a federal rule that federally funded transit agencies can't provide special charter service to events, because it would complete with the private sector. Most people recognized WTA's service as a shuttle, he said, and it was advertised as such.
They agreed WTA couldn't have added service for Ski to Sea this year, because that clearly wouldn't have been allowed.
Walsh said he's glad organizers managed to provide bus service for the event.
"I'm pleased that they found a way to work around it this time," he said.
TAKING THE SHUTTLES
What: Shuttles will carry people between Western Washington University's Lot C and Fairhaven, and between Zuanich Point Park, Boundary Bay Brewery and Fairhaven during Ski to Sea.
When: Every 15 minutes between 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, May 29 (last shuttle from Zuanich is at 6 p.m.).
Cost: $2 per ticket, which lets you have unlimited rides on both shuttles. Parking is free at WWU Lot C that day, and it's free downtown on Sundays.
Ticket sales: Tickets can be purchased in advance at Village Books (1200 11th St.), Boundary Bay Brewery (1107 Railroad Ave.), Downtown Bellingham Partnership (1304 Cornwall Ave.) and Whatcom Events (2227 Queen St. No. 6). They'll be available at shuttle loading areas at Boundary Bay and WWU during the event (exact change only).
More information: Go to skitosea.com.
