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Week of Jul. 7, 2008
Metro fare increase proposed to offset rising diesel costs
King County Executive Ron Sims has proposed a 25-cent per-trip fare increase for Metro Transit to handle escalating fuel costs without cutting service. If approved by the Metropolitan King County Council, the increase would go into effect on Oct. 1.
The October increase would affect adult fares, Vanpool fees, along with prices for FlexPasses and other pass products. Then on Jan. 1, 2009, fares for Access paratransit service would increase similarly. Fares for youth and senior/disabled would remain unchanged at the rate set on July 1 of this year.
Sims said he is committed to maintaining existing Metro service and continuing with the 10-year Transit Now expansion plan. He does not want to see high fuel prices erode service.
“This worldwide fuel crisis comes at a time of historic ridership growth for Metro Transit – and is the reason why residents are turning to transit in record numbers as their own budgets are squeezed,” Sims said. “But, the same rising fuel costs contributing to Metro’s popularity are making it more expensive to deliver service and maintain aggressive transit-growth plans.
“This fare increase will allow us to continue to move forward in an effort to meet the extraordinary demand for more transit, not slip backward at a time when these services are needed the most,” Sims said.
Because it buys diesel in bulk – more than 12 million gallons a year – Metro pays a discounted price for its fuel. It is also exempt from many of the taxes paid at the pump. Still, Metro’s costs for fuel have risen more than 60 percent alone this year.
Weekday bus ridership for the first three months of 2008 is 6 percent higher than the same period last year. The increase in bus ridership is bringing in some new fare revenue, but not enough to cover the rising cost of fuel. Many of those new riders have passes previously purchased by themselves or their employers, and are now using them for the first time or more often. In most cases, this usage does not generate new revenue for Metro.
Metro had budgeted $2.60 per gallon for diesel this year. Now, due to the dramatic spike in fuel costs, it anticipates paying an average of $3.86 per gallon in 2008. That cost difference will create a deficit of more than $14 million in 2008, despite a fare increase earlier this year to cushion the impact of rising operational costs.
The proposed October fare increases will significantly improve – but not solve – the funding gap stemming from rising fuel prices. So, Metro is proposing additional steps to offset rising fuel costs. It’s asking the King County Council to reconsider its prohibition of wrapped advertising on Metro buses and is taking steps to develop a fuel-hedging program aimed at reducing fuel price volatility.
The cost of fuel is impacting transit agencies all across the nation. In the Northwest, transit agencies such as Tri-Met in Portland, Snohomish County’s Community Transit and Kitsap Transit have recently adopted or proposed fare increases in the 25-cent to 75-cent range due to the rising cost of fuel. Metro believes its proposed 25-cent increase is low enough to maintain its system as an affordable alternative to driving.
More information about the proposed fare increase is available online.
Metro Transit, in consultation with the city of Seattle, is planning new bus rapid transit service called RapidRide for the Ballard-Interbay-Uptown Queen Anne corridor. RapidRide will be frequent, easy-to-use service designed to keep people moving quickly throughout the day in this heavily used corridor. Metro is recruiting members for a community advisory panel that will provide advice about RapidRide routing, stop locations and other matters. The advisory panel will meet one or two times a month between October 2008 and March 2009, with regular meetings on Thursday evenings. Metro is seeking bus riders and others who live or work in the Ballard, Interbay, Magnolia, Uptown Queen Anne and Belltown neighborhoods to serve on this advisory group. Applications are due by Friday, Aug. 1. More information is available at Metro Online. |
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Starting Wednesday, July 16, the King County Road Services Division will begin a project to improve the intersection of Southeast 304th Street and 124th Avenue Southeast near Auburn Mountainview High School. The county is building a roundabout at the intersection to ease the flow of increased traffic traveling to and from the high school, other schools, and new development in the area. To complete the improvements as quickly as possible Southeast 304th Street on both sides of 124th Avenue Southeast will be closed through the end of August. There will also be intermittent closures on 124th Avenue near the intersection. Local detours will be posted near the intersection, and motorists are urged to drive through the construction area with care. |
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