Metro Transit’s service change starts Saturday, Feb. 7

Update includes more bus trips, new route, and more bus-bike connections

King County Metro Transit will update bus service starting Saturday, Feb. 7 – adding more trips on routes 10, 36, 157 and 255, partnering on a new route in the Auburn area, and expanding bus-bike connections in downtown Seattle.

Metro’s voter-approved Transit Now initiative is funding an additional 500 annual hours of service on Route 157 between Kent and Seattle. It’s also laying the groundwork for the new Route 497 in the Auburn area serving both King and Pierce counties. The new route is a partnership between Metro, Pierce Transit, Sound Transit and the city of Auburn. The other partners are providing the funding for 2009, and a Transit Now partnership will pick up the ongoing costs starting next year.

Metro updates its routes and scheduling three times a year to improve service and keep up with the changing needs of transit customers. This February, the additional trips on routes 10, 36 and 255 give bus riders more service in peak-commute periods, and is funded through service efficiencies and other cost savings. The entire February service change is detailed both online and in the new green timetables.

Highlights of the service change include:

• A new southbound trip on Route 10 leaving Capitol Hill at 9:24 a.m.;
• Route 36 has a new southbound trip leaving downtown Seattle at 6:40 p.m.;
• An early morning trip leaving the Lake Meridian Park-and-Ride added to the Route 157;
• Route 255 to Seattle has a new trip leaving the Brickyard Park-and-Ride at 4:30 a.m.;
• New Route 497 provides service between the Auburn train station in King County and the Lakeland Hills neighborhood in Pierce County. It will operate with Pierce Transit buses;
• The Route 49 trip that now leaves the University District at 6:18 p.m. is being eliminated;
• Route 174 between downtown Seattle and Federal Way will end all trips after 11 p.m. at the Federal Way Transit Center, and not continue on to the park-and-ride at South 320th Street;
• All routes serving the Overlake Transit Center will have new bus stop assignments at the transit center to improve pedestrian access and boardings; and
• There will be changes to Metro’s bike loading policy in downtown Seattle. Previously, bikes could only be loaded on buses at the edges of the free-ride zone. As of Feb. 7, Metro will allow bike loading at all downtown stops during non-commute hours. But, the bike-loading restrictions will still remain in place on weekdays from 6-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m.

Bus riders can find all the February changes detailed in the Special Rider Alert brochure now available on buses and in Metro information racks. New green timetables are also in those locations, and information is available in the online Trip Planner. Enter a travel date for Feb. 7 or later to find trips that reflect Metro's changed service.

Sometimes people need more than bus service. That’s where Rideshare Services can help by providing resources for carpooling, vanpooling or vansharing. Carpooling and vanpooling match people traveling to common destinations. VanShare helps those who need to make a connection to or from bus service. You can VanShare from home and connect to your bus, or use VanShare from the bus stop or park-and-ride lot to complete a trip to work.

For information about all the services Metro provides, visit Metro Online, or call Metro Customer Information at (206) 553-3000.