The clinics, shops and businesses of Monroe are only 15 minutes away for Duvall residents who drive.
For patients and shoppers who rely on public transportation, however, it takes more than four hours, $10 and three or more transfers on two or three different transit systems to get there.
The recently formed Snoqualmie Valley Transportation Coalition will soon offer valley residents a better alternative to travel to and from Monroe. Starting Aug. 1, the Duvall-Monroe Shuttle bus will drive a loop route from Duvall to Monroe with several regular stops in Monroe and one in Duvall. The loop will take about 90 minutes to complete and the service will operate from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. Depending on the success of the route, it could expand both hours and days of operation in the future.
The bus is ADA accessible and equipped with bike racks. Children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult to ride the bus.
Fares for the Duvall-Monroe Shuttle are a $1 suggested donation per rider.
Riders arriving in Duvall can then use the Valley Shuttle, operated by Snoqualmie Valley Transportation (SVT) to get to other destinations in the valley.
The Duvall-Monroe Shuttle is one of the first projects of the Snoqualmie Valley Transportation Coalition, a joint venture of Hopelink, Snoqualmie Valley Transportation, Easterseals, King County Metro Transit’s Community Access Transportation program, the Snoqualmie Tribe and the valley cities of Monroe, Duvall, Carnation, Snoqualmie and North Bend. The coalition, funded by an Easterseals grant, formed in the fall of 2017 to improve public transportation options in the Snoqualmie Valley.
Its first priority last year was to identify gaps in the transportation infrastructure, by gathering public feedback through surveys and online tools. The new shuttle service will address a significant transportation gap identified by residents, and the coalition will continue its work in meeting residents’ needs.
“It’s imperative we have the right people at the table to get the larger region to understand that Snoqualmie Valley is here and we are not going away. Our residents need options,” said SVT Executive Director Amy Biggs, following a coalition meeting.
Also, the coalition is developing a communications and outreach plan to inform residents of the local public transportation options already available in the area, such as Snoqualmie Valley Transportation’s door-to-door and “Loop bus” services operating throughout the valley from North Bend to Duvall, and Community Transit’s service throughout Snohomish County.
Ultimately, the group plans to create a five-year transit plan covering the entire Snoqualmie Valley.
For updates on the Duvall-Monroe Shuttle, visit www.svtbus.org.
