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Week of Apr. 10, 2006
What do you have to say about Eastside bus service?
 Are you a Bellevue bus rider, a Crossroads commuter, or a Totem Lake traveler? Then, King County Metro Transit and Sound Transit [external link] want to hear from you about a series of ideas for changing bus service for a large area of the Eastside.
Changes for bus service are being considered for the following communities: Bellevue; Kirkland; Redmond; Juanita; Finn Hill; Kingsgate; Woodinville; and Duvall. The changes include both new service and changes to existing routes.
It has been five years since Metro did a major transit service redesign for the Eastside. Last fall, Metro asked its riders what new changes they would most like see on the Eastside and received more than 1,200 comments.
Metro General Manager Kevin Desmond said the comments gave his staff invaluable information about which routes are the most popular, where new connections  need to be made, and where service should be more frequent to better serve the growing Eastside communities.
“The Eastside is growing rapidly, causing a range of transportation issues,” said Desmond.
“Eastside employment is growing at a much faster rate than Metro’s ability to respond with new services,” he said. “Also, the nature of Eastside service is evolving from a commuter-only focus to one that serves people who live, work, shop and travel only on the Eastside.”
No route changes will happen immediately. First, Metro will gather more comments via a questionnaire being mailed this week and a series of public meetings in late April and early May. Staff will review the comments and produce a recommendation to be sent to a citizen sounding board. In most cases, the recommendations will need approval by the King County Council or the Sound Transit Board. Any changes will be phased in between 2007 and 2009, as funding becomes available.
The concept focuses on changes to 21 existing routes, creation of six new routes, and discontinuing 12 routes most of which will have replacement service via a new network of routes. The goals include providing more direct and frequent connections between key transit facilities such as the Eastgate Park-and-Ride, Bellevue Transit Center and Overlake Transit Center. Also, the transit agencies want to better serve growing employment areas such as downtown Bellevue, Overlake, Redmond Town Center and Totem Lake.
This week, Metro is sending a mailer detailing the potential changes to 162,000 Eastside households. The mailer also contains a questionnaire about the changes. The information and questionnaire will be available at Metro Online by the end of the week. Comments can also be submitted via voicemail by calling (206) 684-1146. The deadline for completing the questionnaire or submitting comments is Friday, May 12.
You can also receive more information by attending one of the following events:
- Tuesday, April 25 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Information table at Bellevue Transit Center
- Wednesday, April 26 from 5:30-8 p.m.
Drop-in open house at new Redmond City Hall
- Thursday, April 27 from 5:30-8 p.m.
Drop-in open house at new Bellevue City Hall
- Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to noon
Information table at Duvall Safeway on Main Street
- Wednesday, May 3 from 5:30-8 p.m.
Drop-in open house at Kirkland Senior Center
- Saturday, May 6 from noon to 3 p.m.
Information table at Crossroads Mall in Bellevue
The quarterly George Turner Awards were bestowed recently on two outstanding Metro Transit bus drivers. The award is given by the Northwest Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans Association to recognize and show appreciation for transit operators who best exemplify a positive attitude and awareness of the needs of the elderly and disabled in our communities. The most recent recipients were South Base Operator Tammy Klein and East Base Operator Patricia Morneau. They were presented with certificates, lapel pins and their names are engraved on the George Turner plaque that will be displayed at their worksites.
Motorists traveling on the east side of Novelty Hill between Duvall and Redmond may experience some daytime traffic delays in the coming weeks. Work to install a new traffic signal and other improvements begins this week at the intersection of Novelty Hill Road and West Snoqualmie Valley Road. The project includes installing a new traffic signal and constructing a right-turn pocket in the southbound direction of West Snoqualmie Valley Road. Both roads will remain open during the project, but there could be lane closures between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The King County Road Services Division expects the project – which will improve the safety and traffic flow of the intersection – to be complete by the end of May. For more information, visit the Novelty Hill Road/West Snoqualmie Valley Road project. |
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Passengers who've become partial to Metro Transit's new hybrid buses now have another reason to like their ride - Metro has been named the winner of a prestigious national Clean Air Excellence Award [external link] for 2005 presented by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Metro's hybrid bus program was cited for its innovative combination of hybrid electric technology and use of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, placing the buses among of the cleanest-running public transit vehicles in the county. "We are honored to receive this award and pleased to be a living lab of innovation that is helping to pave the way for governments here and abroad to use new technology that delivers cleaner air and reduces global warming," said King County Executive Ron Sims. Metro reports that the hybrid buses are performing better than expected, and the successful hybrid experience here in King County is opening up more markets this “green” technology. |
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