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Transit Now

2—More service for high-ridership routes

  • Total service hours to be added through Transit Now: 350,000
  • Hours added as of Sept. 2008: 55,000

Studies show that when passengers can count on service being available at all times of day, ridership increases—even during commute hours. A portion of Transit Now funding is earmarked to enhance existing service on routes that have high ridership, with the goal of producing a network of routes with all-day, two-way bus service that connects residential, business, and recreational centers throughout the county. The target frequency for service on these routes is every 15 minutes, seven days a week.

What’s happened so far

Since the passage of Transit Now in 2006, Metro has rolled out more than 55,000 new hours of service in high-ridership corridors, improving service in 16 of the 30 corridors named in the Transit Now ordinance and also in three corridors that will get RapidRide service in a few years. This new service included the creation of two new high-ridership routes (routes 221 and 248) on the Eastside in February 2008.

What happens next

Metro received 22 new hybrid diesel-electric buses in mid-2008. These new buses are supporting service increases and providing more seats on many crowded routes. In September 2008, Metro added Saturday service to the Route 164 and extended frequent service later into the evening on routes 230 and 253.

High-ridership routes and corridors

The following routes are scheduled to receive additional service under Transit Now:

Route Connecting
180 Auburn—Kent
181 Auburn/Green River Community College—Federal Way
44 Ballard—University District
36 Beacon Hill—Downtown Seattle
233 Bellevue—Bear Creek
271 Bellevue—Eastgate/Bellevue Community College
240 Bellevue—Renton
271 Bellevue—University District
120 Burien—Downtown Seattle
8 Capitol Hill—Seattle Center
121 Des Moines—Downtown Seattle
271 Issaquah—Bellevue
269 Issaquah—Redmond
166 Kent—Burien
168 Kent—Four Corners
164 Kent—Green River Community College
169 Kent—Renton
180 Kent—SeaTac
150 Kent—Downtown Seattle
230 Kirkland—Bellevue
234 Kirkland—Bellevue
245 Kirkland—Eastgate/Factoria
248 Kirkland—Redmond
255 Kirkland—Downtown Seattle
41 Northgate—Downtown Seattle
1 Queen Anne—Downtown Seattle
221 Redmond—Eastgate/Factoria
140 Renton—Burien
101 Renton—Downtown Seattle
331 Shoreline—Kenmore
70 University District—Downtown Seattle

RapidRide/high ridership corridors

The corridors that will be getting Metro RapidRide service are also high-ridership corridors. The following regular routes in these corridors will receive new service under Transit Now before RapidRide service starts.

Route Connecting
358 Aurora Village—Downtown Seattle
15, 18 Ballard—Downtown Seattle
230, 253 Bellevue—Redmond
174 Federal Way—SeaTac
54 West Seattle—Downtown Seattle
art: bus loading passengers

Route 221 is one of two new routes created in high-ridership areas on the Eastside in 2008.

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High-ridership route improvements (view larger)