Seasonal Gig Harbor Waterfront Connector Begins June 7th

From June 7th to August 28th, 2025, Pierce Transit will operate its seasonal route 101 in Gig Harbor as the Gig Harbor Waterfront Connector. The service will run from the commercial center in Uptown Gig Harbor, crossing State Route 16, and winding its way up to Downtown Gig Harbor and the waterfront. Fares cost the same as regular Pierce Transit bus service, which is $2 for adults ages 19-64, $1 for ORCA Lift and discounted fares for qualifying riders, and free for children and teens under age 19. Service will run every 30 minutes, running from around 10am to after 9pm (or around 11am to around 7pm on Sundays). That is, on days that it operates, which is only Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. On those days, however, it is a fun option to get around a very scenic city, in the busiest time of the year when parking is harder to find. Locals will find the half-hourly route a relief from the usual hourly service on route 100, the last remaining regular all-day bus route in Gig Harbor. Visitors from outside Gig Harbor can catch route 100 from TCC Transit Center to Kimball Drive P&R and transfer to the 101, or if arriving on a Thursday afternoon, one can take advantage of one of the three hourly trips of ST Express route 595 from Seattle and downtown Tacoma to the P&R. There is also parking available at Kimball Drive P&R.

Operating in previous years as the Gig Harbor Trolley" using a bus wrapped in the livery of an old-fashioned trolley, route 101 has been a part of summer in Gig Harbor since 2013 (with the exception of 2020 due to COVID-19, and 2022 due to the nationwide shortage of transit operators). While not as big of an event as in past years (where service would run all week with discounted fares sponsored by local businesses), Pierce Transit is keeping the tradition alive while the agency works to recover from the broader effects of the pandemic.