Whatcom Transportation Authority set to update bus routes, services
The Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) is introducing changes to services in several areas beginning June 15.
The changes are listed on the WTA website along with maps of each new bus route. Those updates include:
Improved service to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center
▪ New Route 9 will offer buses every 30 minutes between Bellingham Station and the hospital, with expanded hours of service. There will be one bus every hour on Sunday.
▪ New Route 18 will run hourly between Cordata Station and the hospital. Route 18 will also have Sunday service.
▪ These two new routes will replace Route 4.
More frequent service to the Bellingham Waterfront
▪ Route 47 will travel between Downtown Bellingham and Squalicum Harbor every 30 minutes, connecting riders to Squalicum Harbor, the Granary, the Portal Village and other waterfront destinations.
Better access to the Lighthouse Mission, Bellingham Technical College (BTC) and the Airport
▪ New Route 10 will connect Bellingham Station and BTC with a 30-minute frequency in combination with Route 3.
▪ Route 3 will begin operating on Sundays between Bellingham Station, BTC, the airport and Cordata Station.
Enhanced service to Lummi Nation
▪ Route 50 will now run hourly from Cordata Station instead of Bellingham Station, enabling access to Cordata area destinations, including Whatcom Community College and WinCo.
New access to the King Mountain neighborhood
▪ New Route 45 will provide hourly service along Kellogg, Creston, James and Bakerview Roads. Route 45 has no service on Sundays.
Route 48 is also reverting its service levels to what they were before June 2024, but with no change to routing. This change means Route 48 Bakerview Spur to Cordata will be reduced from 12 hourly trips departing from Cordata Station on weekdays to five trips (7:05 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 1:45 p.m., 6:05 p.m. and 8:05 p.m).
Saturdays will be reduced as well. No Sunday service will be maintained on the route, according to WTA Community Relations and Marketing Manager Genevieve Carrillo.
Carrilo said this change was made following ridership feedback.
While Route 75 is not going to change, the number of trips to Birch Bay Village will be reduced from 11 trips per day to seven trips per day on weekdays. There will be no change for the Sunday service.
This story was originally published June 11, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
.jpg)