A crowning achievement | Editorial

Island Transit Director Martha Rose was the personification of the phrase “crowning achievement” as she fielded accolades April 10 during the groundbreaking ceremony for the bus system’s long-needed headquarters expansion south of Coupeville. Rose has dedicated her professional life to Island Transit, making Island County’s no-fare bus service beloved locally, regionally and nationally. There’s just something about a free, friendly, county bus service and Rose’s enthusiastic promotion of such service that hits a soft spot in the hearts of public transportation supporters.

April 17, 2012 4:54 pm

Island Transit Director Martha Rose was the personification of the phrase  “crowning achievement” as she fielded accolades April 10 during the groundbreaking ceremony for the bus system’s long-needed headquarters expansion south of Coupeville.

Rose has dedicated her professional life to Island Transit, making Island County’s no-fare bus service beloved locally, regionally and nationally. There’s just something about a free, friendly, county bus service and Rose’s enthusiastic promotion of such service that hits a soft spot in the hearts of public transportation supporters.

Rose has landed numerous grants in the past to purchase buses and vans and install bus shelters. But it’s taken her years to find the money to build an adequate headquarters with needed office and mechanical facilities. Through the years, the single restroom in the existing building became a symbol of  the need for an upgrade, as did the two-station bus garage where mechanics have to work on dozens of buses and vans.

Last fall, Island Transit was awarded a $17.92 million Federal Transit Administration grant to fund the bulk of the $22.4 million expansion project. U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, who played a role in landing the grant, told the groundbreaking crowd that he was “proud to be a part of it.” Gina Bull, standing in for state Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, who has long been a  champion of Island Transit, summed it up by turning to Rose and saying, “This is really your project, Martha.”

In April, when islanders were busy sending checks to the IRS, it was good to see millions of federal tax dollars coming home. It was just another example of how islanders receive far more in federal spending than they pay out.

Construction workers will appreciate the jobs the construction project will produce in the coming months and even islanders who don’t ride the bus will appreciate improvements to Highway 20 that are tied into the project. But most of all, we should all take a moment to appreciate Martha Rose, whose long career is now capped off by her crowning achievement.