Remember, rides on the B Line will be free on Saturday and Sunday, the first two days of this new service in and between Bellevue and Redmond. If you’ve been curious about Metro’s new service, hop on and check it out!
And the start of the B Line is only one of the changes to Metro service on the Eastside that are taking place this weekend.
Bus service on the Eastside is being restructured to improve the efficiency of the transit network and to integrate with the B Line. Most of these revisions are in Bellevue, Redmond, and Kirkland. They include the following:
- Three new routes – Route 226 travels through eastern Bellevue between the Eastgate Park-and-Ride and Bellevue Transit Center; Route 235 connects Bellevue Transit Center and Kingsgate Park-and-Ride via Totem Lake, Rose Hill, and Kirkland; and Route 241 serves south and west Bellevue with service from the Eastgate Park-and-Ride to Bellevue Transit Center.
- Revised routing for routes 211, 221, 234, 238, 240, 245, 246 249, 250, 265, and 930 DART.
- Added trips on routes 211, 212, 255, and 271, and Sound Transit Express 522 and 545.
- Elimination of routes 222, 225, 229, 230, 233, 247, 253, 256, 261, 266, 272, and DART 926 to avoid duplication of service.
If you ride a bus on the Eastside, please take the time to review these service changes on Metro’s website or in the Special Rider Alert brochure. You can also learn a little more about the service restructuring project on Metro’s Bellevue-Redmond Connections project website, or call Metro’s Customer Information at 206-553-3000 (but expect longer wait times than usual, because everyone else may be doing the same thing).
Metro employees will be stationed at various transit centers on the Eastside today, Saturday, and early next week to distribute information and help bus riders get where they need to go.
Will RapidRide accommodate wheelchairs?
Yes! In addition to the same wheelchair securing system used by all Metro buses, buses on the new RapidRide lines (starting with the B Line between Bellevue and Redmond) also have Metro’s new strap-free securing system, which you can read about in our previous post.
I’ll have you know that it takes closer to an hour during rush hour traffic.
Sounds nice but how long does the trip from TC to TC take in reality? Would be nice to know if the B Line is faster or if the 232 is faster.
Hi Kevin,
Actual travel time varies depending on the time of day, but a good average is about 40 minutes from transit center to transit center.
I’ll have you know that it takes closer to an hour during rush hour traffic.
I’m curious about why new Rapid Ride lines are all scheduled to start in October. In 2012 and 2013, you’re scheduled to open two lines each year. Why not start one at the February or June service changes? Thanks.
I don’t know the answer for certain, but I suspect that it has to do with weather conditions. It took quite a while for the Line B stations to be put into place and they didn’t start until the weather was semi-decent (for this summer anyway). As I recall, they started the installation in June for Line B and for the stations that requires pouring cement and getting the electrical/computer connections done.
Will there be any routes that go from Redmond to Seattle?
To get from Redmond to Seattle, take ST 545; it’s a straight shot from Redmond on SR 520.
No RapidRide lines are planned to go from Redmond to Seattle, but there is service on regular Metro and Sound Transit (ST) routes:
ST Route 545-Bear Creek to downtown Seattle via downtown Redmond and Overlake
ST Route 542, Redmond Transit Center to Greenlake via SR-520 and the U District (peak hours only, two-way)
Metro Route 268, Bear Creek to downtown Seattle via SR-520 (peak hours only, one-way)
Metro Route 250, Overlake Transit Center to downtown Seattle via Overlake Village (peak hours only, one-way)
Metro Route 265, Overlake Transit Center to First Hill via SR-520 and the north part of downtown Seattle (peak hours only, one-way)
Metro Route 242, Ridgecrest to Overlake via Lake City and SR-520 (peak hours only, one-way in the reverse-commute direction)
I’ve really looked forward to Line B starting up; but I am a bit confused on where to find the stops. The map for Line B indicates stops at NE 40th St & 148th Ave NE (which I live just to the West of); but I haven’t been able to locate the stops. Anybody have any idea where these are hidden?