A new Island Transit route on South Whidbey is being proposed.

During a community meeting held by Island Transit on Thursday, officials unveiled Route 58, which would combine and condense the previously cut Route 5 and the reduced Route 8, and make small changes to routes 1 and 7. All of these are proposed to begin April 6, though Island Transit officials said none of the alterations would impact the heavily-relied upon and highly ridden commuter routes.

“We tried to not affect the commuter routes,” Island Transit Operations Manager Shawn Harris said.

Route 58 would run from near Holmes Harbor Golf Course, into Freeland, along East Harbor Road to Goss Lake Road, to the Bayview Cash Store, into Langley, along Maxwelton Road to Scatchet Head, then to Ken’s Korner in Clinton. The combined route will not bring service back to the Honeymoon Lake, Baby Island, Saratoga, Deer Lake or Bailey’s Corner areas of South Whidbey. It is being considered for operation during commuter times in the morning and evening, and would run concurrently with the commuter Route 8 Express.

“The more we condense it, the more we can run the route,” said Nick Pinch, Island Transit’s operations supervisor.

At the community meeting, one of several proposed over the next couple of weeks, four people not directly associated with Island Transit questioned the route changes and how paratransit and students would be impacted. Island County Commissioner Helen Price Johnson, who previously served on transit’s board of directors, asked if Route 58’s evening service would be available around times that students wrapping up after-school activities could use. Pinch said transit keeps school schedules, including contact with the Outdoor Classroom in Maxwelton, on hand to consider when drafting service times.

Lori O’Brien, Whidbey Watershed Stewards’ Outdoor Classroom education director, said the timing of the Route 58 could have a significant impact on students’ ability to visit. She said that the former route ran twice in the late mornings and twice in the early afternoons, letting students spend part of their day in the Outdoor Classroom. With the cut, the South Whidbey School District ponied up the funds with its own buses to transport students there this year. But O’Brien said she still would like to see Island Transit service restored to enable classes to visit just by hopping on a bus, as opposed to scheduling one with the school district.

“Even if we could get one class a round-trip visit, we could do it,” she said in a phone interview Friday morning.

Routes 1 and 7 will also see changes. Island Transit’s main service that stretches from Oak Harbor to Clinton, the 1 will shift 30 minutes between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

“We’re basically taking a run out,” Pinch said. “By doing that, it forces us to change the departing time at 15 after every hour to 45 (after) every hour.”

Route 7, which runs from Clinton to Langley to Bayview (and previously included Freeland, before changes last year), may reduce midday service. Options being considered include shifting the run to every 90 minutes between 9 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. or having a two-hour break during low ridership periods. According to an Island Transit document supplied at the community meeting, those changes would allow for more hours of service for the proposed Route 58. Most non-commuter Route 7 runs will be serviced by the smaller shuttle-style buses.

Island Transit will try to notify paratransit riders who lost coverage or service by email, phone or mail.

Island Transit community meetings

Island Transit has a few more South Whidbey community meetings to field questions about proposed route changes planned in the coming weeks. Questions or comments may also be directed to 360-678-7771 or by email to info@islandtransit.org.

2-4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, Bayview Senior Center

4-6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, Freeland Library

2-4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, Clinton Community Hall