The City of Longview has been operating RiverCities Transit since it acquired the system in 1975. At that time, the City of Kelso and Cowlitz County contributed money to help operate the system.
In 1987, the citizens of Longview and Kelso voted to create a Public Transportation Benefit Area Authority (PTBA), establish a 0.1% sales tax to fund the public transit system, and create the Cowlitz Transit Authority (CTA) to govern the PTBA. The community voted to increase the sale tax rate to 0.3% in 2008.
The CTA consists of two Longview City Council members, two Kelso City Council members, one Cowlitz County Commissioner, and one non-voting union member.
Current Cowlitz Transit Authority Board Members
Dennis Weber, Chair (Cowlitz County Commissioner)
Mike Wallin, Vice-Chair (Longview Council Member)
Lisa Alexander (Kelso Council Member)
MaryAlice Wallis (Longview Council Member & Mayor)
Kim LeFebvre (Kelso Council Member)
Anthony Harris (Union Representative)
Spencer Boudreau – Alternate (Longview Council Member)
Rick Dahl – Alternate (Cowlitz County Commissioner)
Mike Karnofski – Alternate (Kelso Council Member & Mayor)
Cowlitz Transit Authority Meetings
The CTA Board meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 4:00 p.m. Meetings are held in the Longview Council Chambers, on the 2nd floor of Longview City Hall. Longview City Hall, located at 1525 Broadway Street, Longview, WA 98632 is accessible for persons with disabilities. Please notify us at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance at (360) 442-5663 if you will need any special accommodations to attend the meeting.
Currently, the Cowlitz Transit Authority is holding hybrid meetings, meaning that you may attend virtually through Zoom or in person. CTA meetings are also streamed on KLTV.
CTA meeting agendas and minutes can be found at:
https://www.mylongview.com/129/Agendas-Minutes
CTA meeting videos can be found at:
https://kelso-longview.vod.castus.tv/vod