Date:  Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Contact: Michele Villnave, WSDOT Communications, 360-705-7875 (Olympia)
Don Chartock, WSDOT Rural and Coordinated Program, 360-705-7928 (Olympia)

OMAK – A formal ribbon cutting ceremony celebrated a new 160-mile “Apple Line” bus route from Omak through Wenatchee to Ellensburg Tuesday morning. A beautiful fall day, a crisp 40 degree temperature, clear skies and sunshine kept no one away from the event at Omak’s Civic League Park. The Apple Line joined the Grape Line in Walla Walla and the Dungeness Line on the Olympic Peninsula to round out the state’s Travel Washington network of intercity bus service. Travel Washington connects communities by linking rural towns and cities with urban areas, connecting them to national intercity bus, rail and air service.

The Travel Washington Apple Line is part of the only Intercity Statewide Network in the nation to be funded through a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) pilot program that matches private sector investments with federal grant funds. Greyhound Bus Lines provided the local match and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) awarded a grant to Northwestern Trailways to provide the Apple Line service.

“Rural residents have fewer transportation choices available to them,” said WSDOT Secretary Paula Hammond, “The Intercity Bus Network improves mobility for rural residents and helps connect Washington communities.”

The Apple Line provides service to the rural communities of north-central Washington along US 97 connecting Omak, Wenatchee and Ellensburg. It provides a daily scheduled round trip between Omak and Ellensburg with timed connections to Greyhound, Northwestern Trailways and Amtrak. This coordination means that people will have more reliable transportation to wherever they want to go.

“Without this funding from WSDOT, we would not be able to operate this needed service.” said Bill Brannon, Vice President, Northwestern Trailways.

Others participating in the 10 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony included Mary Marchand of the Colville Tribe who offered the blessing. WSDOT Public Transportation Director Katy Taylor served as Master of Ceremonies. Speakers included Omak Mayor Cindy Gange’, Greyhound’s District Manager Shanna Kilpatrick, Omak City Councilwoman Leanne Leifer and WSDOT North Central Region Local Programs Engineer Paul Mahre.

The event concluded with a bus demonstration and tour.

For more information on the Travel Washington Apple Line and to learn, more about Washington State’s Intercity Bus Network visit WSDOT’s Public Transportation Web site. www.wsdot.wa.gov/transit/intercity See photos from the Travel Washington Apple Line Ribbon Cutting.

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