Metro Transit, city of Seattle team up to increase transit service

County Council approves “Transit Now” partnerships that increase service hours

Bus riders in Seattle will enjoy more frequent service on major bus routes thanks to a partnership agreement between Metro Transit and the city of Seattle approved today by the Metropolitan King County Council. The agreements are implemented as part of the voter-approved “Transit Now” initiative.

“Transit Now” set aside 90,000 hours of bus service for service partnerships with businesses and local cities throughout King County, with the goal of increasing transit service on major urban corridors. Seattle residents will see an addition of 56,000 annual service hours from the program thanks to partnerships between Metro and the city of Seattle, Harborview Medical Center, Swedish Medical Center, and Virginia Mason Medical Center.

“This innovative partnership program allows Metro to leverage scarce tax dollars and get more bus service to people who need it,” said Councilmember Dow Constantine, chair of the Council’s Transportation Committee. “These programs will improve and increase bus service on these key urban corridors.”

“With transit ridership growing rapidly throughout the region, these partnerships are a creative way to stretch scarce transit dollars a little further,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips. “In Seattle, where overcrowded buses are leaving passengers at the curb and citizens have a voracious appetite for more service, the city’s partnership with Metro will bring needed relief.”

The city of Seattle will partner with Metro to extend the span of service on portions of Routes 5, 13, 28, 48, 60, and 74; increase service frequency during evenings, nights, and/or weekends on Routes 7, 44, 48, 60, and 75, and the common portions of Routes 2 and 13, 3 and 4, and 26 and 28; and improve frequency during high-use periods on Routes 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 26, 28 and 70. Metro will also provide more frequent service on the soon-to-arrive West Seattle RapidRide line in exchange for the City implementing speed and reliability improvements such as signal prioritization, transit lanes at intersections and off-street bus stops.

Harborview, Swedish and Virginia Mason Medical Centers are teaming up with Metro to fund a new route connecting the three medical center sites on First Hill with the Coleman Dock and King Street station via a one-way loop.

“My district is already seeing the benefit of a transit partnership between Metro and Children’s Hospital that has increase service to that vital facility,” said Councilmember Larry Gossett. “Increasing transit options was one of the goals of Transit Now. These partnerships fulfill that goal.”

“Bus service should be an attractive and effective alternative to driving, and overcrowded buses do not serve that goal. By giving these partnerships the green light today, the Council took a major step towards providing King County residents with more frequent and reliable bus service,” said Councilmember Bob Ferguson, who is a member of the Transportation Committee and vice-chair of the Regional Transit Committee.

Seattle bus riders will begin seeing transit improvements for the partnerships in September of this year.