PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — Pierce County voters have approved Proposition 1, setting Pierce Transit up for a major expansion that the agency says will deliver 47% more local bus service over the next several years.
Based on initial election results released Tuesday, Pierce Transit said the measure will increase the agency’s sales tax rate from 0.6% to 0.9% — an additional 3 cents per $10 spent on qualifying purchases made within its service area. The new tax rate takes effect April 1, 2027.
Pierce Transit said it will begin a phased expansion of service starting in 2027, with full implementation expected by the end of 2032. The voter-approved package includes new bus routes, seasonal waterfront trolley routes and special-event service. The agency also plans to add more frequent service on many existing routes, extend service hours later into the evenings, expand SHUTTLE paratransit service for riders with disabilities, and improve connections between local routes and regional transit…