Summary

King County Metro wants public input as it launches an intensive long-range planning effort that will help determine what regional transit service will look like in 25 years.

Story

Your voice will count as Metro develops a long-range plan for future generations of riders

King County Metro wants public input as it launches an intensive long-range planning effort that will help determine what regional transit service will look like in 25 years. With the region’s population expected to increase by 30 percent over the next two decades, this will be Metro’s most comprehensive planning effort yet.

“Over the next year and a half, we will reach out to transit riders, community leaders, and cities across the county to get their input on how Metro should plan for the future,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “As our region continues to grow we need an effective and fully integrated transit system to support our economy and protect our quality of life.”

The planning effort, called “We’ll Get You There: Our Vision for the Future of Public Transportation,” launches at the same time that Sound Transit lays the groundwork for further expansion of light rail, and local cities and the Puget Sound Regional Council update their own transportation and comprehensive plans.

When Metro was formed in 1973, it set out to reshape the regional transit system. In 1994 it created a long-term framework that delivers the multi-destinational system King County has today. Now the transit agency is looking forward again.
 
What should Metro and our broader transit system look like in 25 years?  How will cities and communities across the county know there will be the right service mix and connections in place to meet their local needs? How will we meet and plan for the future growth of our region? That’s what Metro will be exploring with riders and other community partners over the coming months.

“Last year Metro delivered more than 120 million rides – trips that helped ease congestion on our roadways,” said Metro General Manager Kevin Desmond. “But with more people moving to the area and limited roadway capacity, we need a coordinated vision for how we will get people where they need to go. This plan will help guide economic, land use and transportation decisions in the future.”

Your chance to be involved

Beginning today, you can join the effort to help shape transit’s long-range vision:

• Go online at http://www.kcmetrovision.org to learn more about the long-range planning process and how to get involved.
• Take our online survey. You can tell us what you think about current transit service and what will be needed in future years to help you get around.
• Looking for more active involvement? Then apply to serve on the community advisory group that will collaborate regularly with Metro to ensure that the final plan represents a diversity of needs and perspectives. The community group will be comprised of residents and others chosen through an open application process. The deadline for applications is February 18.
• You can also sign up to receive project updates and notifications about upcoming events by clicking on the “Sign up for email updates” button.

Long-range planning-What to expect

Metro’s long range plan will unfold in four phases.

• Over the next few months, Metro will ask stakeholders and other interest groups to share their vision for transit.
• That outreach effort will help shape a set of preliminary ideas and recommendations later this year.
• In early 2016 preliminary recommendations will be updated and captured in a draft long-range plan subject to another round of public review.
• A proposed long-range plan will be submitted to King County Council for review and adoption in the fall of 2016.