Friday transit forecast: Roads okay, Metro operating regular service

Bus service should be operating normally Friday morning in King County, as roads appear to be clear of ice and snow throughout the Metro Transit service area.

King County Metro Transit crews have been patrolling local roadways overnight looking for ice and slick roads that could disrupt bus service. After Thursday morning’s snowfall and dropping temperatures overnight, there was concern that highways and local streets could become icy for today’s morning commute.

As of 5 a.m. today, transit staff report normal driving conditions. But, everyone is urged to take care in traveling to and from the bus, because there could be isolated icy spots on overpasses, roads, shoulders, and sidewalks.

On Thursday morning, bus travel was hampered by varying amounts of snow throughout the county and significant traffic delays. The rapidly changing conditions on Thursday made it difficult for Metro to keep its passengers informed about service disruptions.

As this winter season winds to a close, Metro is already looking to next season by pursuing additional steps that can be taken to keep riders better informed of transit disruptions. Those actions include: redesigning elements of the Metro Online website; beefing up emergency event staffing plans for the Customer Information Office; adding additional staff to track and post bus reroute and service disruptions online; and exploring the use of emerging public communication tools to help disseminate information.