Columbia Area Transit is offering free service on the Hood River City bus route for downtown employees while a street improvement project is taking place on Sherman Avenue between 2nd and 6th Streets over the next two weeks.  That area of Sherman Avenue is utilized by downtown employees to preserve metered parking for customers, but parking will be restricted in that area on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. during construction.  CAT’s Hood River City bus will run for free during the construction, expected to continue through August 30. Employees and residents who utilize Sherman Avenue parking can park on nearby streets and catch CAT’s Hood River City bus at a formal stop or flag it down along the route which runs from the Heights to the Port via downtown.  Those using the service can get off the bus at downtown stops which include 4^th & State or 4^th & Columbia streets.   For CAT’s complete route and schedule, visit ridecatbus.org.