Metro is making changes–we’re moving toward our new vision for public transportation, striving to build a highly productive transit system that takes people where they want to go and gets the most value out of every dollar spent on transit.
When the King County Council approved a $20 congestion reduction charge in August to help Metro maintain the current level of bus service in 2012-2013, it also directed Metro to make the transit system more cost-effective during the two years the charge is in effect. The Council directed Metro to scale 5,000-20,000 service hours to the market served and the mobility needs of the community by June 2012.
With the February 2012 service change package, Metro will fulfill
its requirement to implement “right-sized” services called for in the congestion reduction charge legislation. A South King County route and an Eastside route that serve areas within or adjacent to low density rural areas are being transitioned from fixed-route service to Dial-a-Ride-Transit (DART), and Route 186 midday service between Auburn and Enumclaw will transition to DART operation.
Read a detailed description of the February 2012 service change >>
East King County
- Route 251 currently connects the University of Washington-Bothell and Cascadia Community College campuses with the Redmond Transit Center via Avondale Road and downtown Woodinville. Route 251 is being transitioned and renumbered as new DART route 931, which will have the ability to go off route and to pick up and drop off, upon request (on a limited first come-first served basis) in downtown Bothell and North Creek.
South King County
- Route 149 travels from the Renton Transit Center to Enumclaw via State Route 169. Route 149 is being transitioned and renumbered as new DART route 907, which will have the ability to go off route and to pick up and drop off, upon request (on a limited first come-first served basis) in the three designated DART areas serving Renton, Black Diamond and Enumclaw neighborhoods.
- Route 186 currently provides service throughout the day, six days a week, between the Auburn Sounder Station and Enumclaw via State Route 164. Weekday 186 peak trips will continue to operate as is, due to higher ridership and connections with Sounder trains at Auburn Station. Midday service would be shifted to DART and be operated as DART route 915. The 915 would provide weekday/midday and Saturday DART service when ridership is lower and schedule time would allow for off route deviations into the two designated DART areas in Auburn serving the Auburn Regional Medical Center and Auburn Senior Center, and in Enumclaw, including St. Elizabeth Hospital on the north side of town and the Safeway and multifamily housing on the east side of town.
Read King County Executive’s news release about alternative service delivery>>
Recently I made a suggestion with 251 to extend it for Sunday service, as to serve the churches on the corridor. I would like to make this recommendation for proposed route 931 as well. As an option, perhaps this could be used as an on-demand (a la Access) service for general passenger ridership – that is, only dispatch a van if a request is made.