Joe Clark, executive director of Twin Transit, far left, introduces Jean Fairgrieve, far right, to a newly installed bus stop along South Market Blvd. in Chehalis dedicated to her in January.
The Twin Transit Market Street bus stop, dedicated to a longtime local public transportation advocate in January, officially opened on Monday.
The bus stop is located on Market Street in Chehalis in front of Chehalis Manor. It features a newly-installed bus pullout designed to improve the flow of traffic and reduce congestion at the intersection at Third and Market streets, Twin Transit said in a press release.
The bus stop was dedicated to Jean Fairgrieve, who was instrumental in making the bus and transportation service a reality in Lewis County. She volunteered and gathered signatures to have a public transit measure placed on the ballot in the 1970s. The measure was approved in 1976 and Twin Transit was founded the same year.
“Since then, Twin Transit has grown exponentially, expanding to include LIFTT service, a DARTT dial-a-ride program, clean energy integration, community service support, and two physical locations,” the press release states.
In honor of Fairgrieve, a plaque was installed next to the bus stop that reads, “Dedicated to Jean Fairgrieve for bringing public transit to the Twin Cities.”
Along with the opening of the Market Street bus stop, Twin Transit has made other bus route adjustments, including adding a Chehalis Timberland Library bus stop and a Chehalis Safeway bus stop behind the store on Washington Street.
Twin Transit will be removing bus stops at the Colony House, Town Center, Lewis County Gospel Mission and Lewis County Work Opportunities.
“To help improve the flow of traffic, Twin Transit will no longer travel through downtown Chehalis. Instead, buses will turn right from Market, drive past the library, and turn left on Washington. The Downtown Stop will now be located one block up the hill from the Colony House, on NE Washington and Division Street,” the press release stated.
More information about the Twin Transit route adjustments can be found at twintransit.org.
