BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Two new temporary bus routes will offer service to the Bellingham waterfront starting this fall.

Whatcom Transportation Authority’s Board of Directors approved the new service plan at their meeting on Aug. 15.

One of the routes will run from the downtown bus station to Granary Avenue at the waterfront six times each day, including a stop at the new Millworks apartments on Laurel Street. The other will follow the same route from the bus station to the waterfront but continues down Roeder Avenue to Squalicum Harbor seven times a day.

The interim routes will operate seven days a week and begin service on Sunday, Sept. 22.

The Aug. 15 meeting included public comment, where many individuals expressed widespread enthusiasm for the new waterfront service.

WTA says it has been considering adding service to the Bellingham waterfront for many years and is trying to speed up the process to serve the new multi-family housing project and daycare facility there.

The interim routes will give WTA a baseline to build a more expanded, permanent service, which it’s aiming to launch in June 2025.