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Why make changes?
Under the guidance of King County's Six-Year Transit Development Plan and the Transit Now program approved by voters in November 2006, Metro redesigns bus service in response to changes in where people live, work, and travel. Since September 2001, when Metro undertook its last major service redesign on the Eastside, Sound Transit has introduced significant additional service and opened the Overlake Transit Center. By better aligning the routes of the two agencies, and by responding to changing conditions on the Eastside, Metro and Sound Transit can provide more efficient, accessible bus service.
What's the difference between Metro and Sound Transit?
King County Metro is the designated transit provider for King County. In the 1990s, the legislature recognized the need for cross-county and long-haul transit services by creating the Regional Transit Authority (RTA). With voter approval, the RTA created Sound Transit to serve regional transit needs in the urban areas of Pierce, Snohomish, and King counties. Sound Transit provides over 400,000 annual hours of bus service to Eastside residents, and is also making major investments in park-and-ride lots, HOV-only direct access ramps on I-90 at Eastgate and on I-405 at Totem Lake, and other projects.
Metro and Sound Transit are committed to working together to provide a better transit system.
Overall goals of this service proposal
During this Eastside service review, Metro and Sound Transit are looking for ways to:
- make the best use of existing resources;
- respond to needs identified by bus riders in a 2005-2006 public outreach effort;
- provide better transit connections at Bellevue Transit Center, Eastgate Park-and-Ride, Kirkland Transit Center, Overlake Transit Center, and Redmond Park-and-Ride;
- better serve growing areas such as Overlake, Redmond Town Center, and Avondale Road NE.
- move bus service to areas with greater potential ridership; and
- improve bus stop facilities.
Routes that are proposed to be changed
This publication includes information on the following routes being considered for changes: 540, 545, 222, 232, 233, 238, 249, 251, 266, 272, 311, and 921.
Routes that are proposed to be introduced
The following new routes are proposed: 221 and 248.
Routes that are proposed to be discontinued
The following routes might be discontinued: 220 and 254.
Routes NOT under consideration for changes
The following routes are NOT under consideration for major changes at this time: 522, 532, 535, 550, 554, 555, 556, 560, 564, 565, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 212, 213, 214, 216, 217, 218, 219, 225, 229, 230, 234, 236, 237, 240, 242, 243, 245, 247, 250, 252, 253, 255, 256, 257, 260, 261, 265, 268, 269, 271, 277, 280, 291, 306, 312, 926, and 929. They will continue to follow the same route they now follow even if all of the potential changes are accepted. Schedules could change to improve connections with other service or respond to changing levels of ridership.
What happens next?
Metro and Sound Transit are gathering public comments on proposed changes. At the end of the comment period, Metro staff members will review all comments and produce a staff recommendation. The recommendation will be reviewed by a citizen Sounding Board composed of bus riders and key stakeholders. Staff and Sounding Board recommendations will be forwarded to the King County Executive, who, after review, will forward his recommendations to the King County Council for action. Changes approved by the Council will be implemented in September 2007 or February 2008 as service resources become available.
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