The 45th annual Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival is Sept. 10-12. The festival is known for its beautiful setting – and traffic issues.

 

To reduce congestion, the city of Mukilteo will close the boat launch and public parking in Lighthouse Park during the festival. Mayor Joe Marine also asked Community Transit to help transport attendees.

 

“We wanted to support this community event, but we couldn’t justify spending extra money to do so,” explained Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor.

 

So staff got creative, and a unique partnership was born. Providence Harbour Pointe Clinic stepped up to cover the cost of free-ride tickets on Community Transit Route 113, which serves Mukilteo year-round.

 

Route 113 serves a stop just uphill from the Mukilteo Ferry dock, adjacent to Lighthouse Park.

 

No extra service will be added on Route 113, but buses run every 20 to 30 minutes during the day and every 60 minutes at night, Monday through Saturday. Community Transit does not have service on Sundays.

 

Pick up your free bus tickets to the Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival at Providence Physician Group – Harbour Pointe, located at 4112 Harbour Pointe Blvd. SW in Mukilteo during their regular walk-in clinic hours.

 

Free-ride ticket supplies are limited and subject to availability. Tickets are good only on Community Transit buses.

 

To ride Route 113 to Mukilteo:

 

Board the bus at any stop along its route from Lynnwood to Mukilteo.

 

Park free at Lynnwood Transit Center or Swamp Creek at 164th Street Park & Ride.

 

Swift bus rapid transit between Everett and Shoreline connects with Route 113 at Highway 99 & 148th Street.

 

Get an ORCA smart card if you’ll be transferring or you will pay for each bus ride.

 

Be prepared to pay your fare with a free ride ticket, cash or ORCA. Fares are: adults $1.75, youth $1.25 and senior or disabled $0.75.

 

Enjoy an easy, relaxing ride to the Lighthouse Festival.

 

Community Transit buses start earlier and run later than the Lighthouse Festival shuttle, and both serve stops near Olympic View Middle School and Kamiak High School, where free parking is available.

 

“We’re hoping that this partnership will encourage more people to get to the festival by bus, and that could get them to try transit for many other trips around Mukilteo and the region,” said the mayor, a Community Transit board member.

 

Community Transit strives to help Puget Sound commuters think transit first. With 54 local and commuter bus routes and one of the nation’s largest vanpool programs, the agency is a leader in finding new ways to make alternative transportation an attractive option.

 

Call Community Transit at 425-353-RIDE or 1-800-562-1375 for bus information, or 1-888-814-1300 for carpool or vanpool information, or go to www.communitytransit.org.