Now in its second year, Grays Harbor Transit’s Wave route — which shuttles passengers through the downtown corridor and as far east as Walmart for free — is growing in popularity and is considered a boon for downtown businesses.

“We launched the Wave route in September 2016,” said Grays Harbor Transit supervisor Terri Gardner. “It was designed to prevent our other routes from getting delayed by the trains that block the Gateway Mall area from time to time.”

The free shuttle runs Monday through Friday, leaving every 20 minutes from the Aberdeen Transit Center at Wishkah and G streets. The first shuttle leaves at 9 a.m., and the last delivers remaining passengers back to the transit center at 5:15 p.m. It makes regular stops in downtown Aberdeen, including Jay’s Farmstand and Safeway, as well as Walmart and the rest of the Olympic Gateway Plaza.

“I think it’s great,” said Karen Rowe, Aberdeen City Council member and owner of GH Wine Sellars downtown. “I would love to see it promoted more because there are lots of people and businesses who still don’t know it exists. It’s a great idea for downtown.”

Each 20-minute trip takes Market Street west to North Park Street, then loops around to head west on Heron Street to the Walmart and the rest of the businesses in the Olympic Gateway Plaza. Then westbound on Wishkah back to the transit center.

“When it does get delayed, it can just skip a trip and pick it back up without causing delays to out-of-town trips,” said Gardner. “It has really taken off in the last six months or so. People are discovering it is a quick way to get up and down Market Street.”