Everett Community Transit has released initial design concepts for the proposed Swift Gold Line, a bus rapid transit corridor intended to link downtown Everett with Smokey Point via Marysville. The regional transit authority revealed these preliminary visuals on Thursday, highlighting plans for dedicated center-running bus lanes on sections of Broadway in Everett and State Avenue in Marysville.

The agency indicated a preference for center-running configurations to enhance schedule reliability, maintain throughput for general vehicle traffic, and facilitate safer pedestrian crossings on broader thoroughfares. Planners suggest that this infrastructure could stimulate higher ridership and provide a vital transportation alternative as the region expands. However, the design would result in the loss of approximately 342 on-street parking spaces along Everett’s Broadway.

This new route would become the fourth addition to the system’s Swift network. It follows the existing Blue Line between Everett and Shoreline, the Green Line connecting Bothell to the Seaway Transit Center in Everett, and the Orange Line linking Edmonds College to McCollum Park. The Swift series currently ranks among the most heavily utilized routes in the agency’s portfolio.

Residents have until Nov. 15 to review the latest options and submit feedback via an online survey hosted at engage.communitytransit.org/swiftgold. Three in-person public hearings are also scheduled:

* Nov. 5 at 5:30 p.m. in the Weyerhaeuser Room at Everett Station, 3202 Smith Ave., Everett. * Nov. 10 at 5:30 p.m. at the Stilly Valley Center, 18308 Smokey Blvd., Arlington. * Nov. 12 at 5:00 p.m. at the Marysville Library, 6120 Grove Street, Marysville.

According to project documentation, staff will formulate a draft locally preferred alternative in early 2027. This document will outline the selected design, station placements, and lane structures. The board of directors is anticipated to vote on the final design parameters by mid-2027.

Construction and final design phases are expected to continue through 2028, with service on the new line targeted for launch in 2031. The current cost estimate for the project stands at up to $199 million, an increase from earlier projections of $150 million. The majority of the funding will be secured through state and federal grants, with the balance covered by the agency’s existing revenue streams. No new local taxes or dedicated funding sources will be required for construction.