In response to ongoing freezing weather and snowstorms in the forecast, King County Metro activated its Emergency Snow Network (ESN) on Feb. 9 at 4 a.m. Due to the forecast, worsening road conditions and buses requiring repairs, the ESN will continue Monday, Feb. 11 and Tuesday, Feb. 12. There are only 67 routes and shuttles in operation until further notice.
What does it mean for me?
ESN transit service is focused on plowed and treated arterial roadways maintained by the state and local jurisdictions.
However some residents are along routes that are not possible to serve under major winter storm conditions.
The following are nearest alternatives for South Seattle, including West Seattle, residents who need to use transit and are not directly served by the ESN.
Please note all routes listed are traveling on their snow route pathways.
- West Seattle – Use Routes 128 (map) with connections along California Avenue and at the Alaska Junction, the C Line (map), the C Line Shuttle (map) for Fauntleroy, the Route 21 (map) along 35th Avenue SW, Route 120 (map) along Delridge Way SW, and water taxi shuttle routes 773/775 (map) with service to Alki.
- Arbor Heights – Use Route 21 (map) or the R Line shuttle (map) on SW Barton and SW Roxbury Streets.
- South Park –
- *New for Tuesday, Feb. 12* Take the South Park shuttle to Route 124 in Georgetown with direct service to downtown Seattle, Tukwila and SeaTac Airport. It will operate from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on roadways that are a part of SDOT’s snow plowing plan. It will serve stops normally served by Route 132 and Route 60 and come approximately every 60 minutes.
- Connect to Route 128 (map) at 4th Avenue SW and SW Roxbury Street; or to Route 124 (map) along East Marginal Way South near Boeing.
- Beacon Hill – Connect to Route 36 (map) at Beacon Ave S.
- Mount Baker – Find service on Martin Luther King Jr. Way South on Route 48 (map) and Route 106 (map) or on Rainier Avenue South on Route 7 (map).
- Seward Park – Find service on Rainier Avenue South on Route 7 (map).
- South Beacon Hill – Find service on Martin Luther King Jr. Way South on Route 106 (map) or on South Myrtle St on Route 36 (map).
- Link Light Rail Stations – Link light rail will be operational on Monday. For most up-to-date information on Sound Transit Link, Sounder, and Express Bus service alerts go HERE.
For specific stop locations, use the “Stop and Next Arrival” feature of Metro’s Puget Sound Trip Planner. DO NOT use the schedule or trip planning information on the Trip Planner for Emergency Snow Network information.
Note: Metro and transportation agencies intend for most bus stops along these routes to be available, but in some cases such as on steeper uphill slopes, buses may not be able to stop at all designated locations.
Why activate the ESN?
Transit vehicles are only able to safely operate on effectively plowed, sanded, and/or de-iced arterial streets, roads, highways, or freeways. When major winter storms occur and significant snow or ice accumulates on street surfaces, Metro installs tire chains on all buses and the ESN is activated in order to allow the backbone of the network to continue operating. The goal is to serve as many customers on these high-ridership routes and corridors reliably during the winter weather over several days.
All routes not in operation
1 | 132 | 277 |
2 | 143 | 301 |
4 Shuttle | 148 | 303 |
8 | 153 | 304 |
9 | 154 | 308 |
11 | 156 | 309 |
12 | 157 | 311 |
13 | 158 | 312 |
14 | 159 | 316 |
15 | 164 | 330 |
17 | 167 | 342 |
18 | 177 | 346 |
19 | 178 | 347 |
22 | 179 | 355 |
26 | 182 | 373 |
27 | 183 | 628 |
28 | 186 | 630 |
29 | 187 | 631 |
33 | 190 | 635 |
37 | 192 | 823 |
43 | 193 | 824 |
47 | 197 | 886 |
49 | 200 | 887 |
50 | 201 | 888 |
55 | 204 | 889 |
56 | 208 | 891 |
57 | 212 | 892 |
60 | 214 | 893 |
63 | 216 | 894 |
64 | 217 | 895 |
67 | 218 | 901 |
71 | 219 | 908 |
73 | 221 | 910 |
74 | 224 | 913 |
76 | 226 | 914 |
77 | 232 | 915 |
78 | 234 | 916 |
105 | 236 | 917 |
107 | 237 | 952 |
111 | 238 | 980 |
113 | 240 | 981 |
114 | 241 | 982 |
116 | 243 | 984 |
119 | 244 | 986 |
118 | 246 | 987 |
121 | 249 | 988 |
122 | 252 | 989 |
123 | 257 | 994 |
125 | 268 | 995 |
131 | 269 |
What riders should know
Metro encourages people to avoid traveling if at all possible.
Riders who intend to use Metro’s services should visit the Emergency Snow Network webpage to view details about routes in operation and to identify their options. Routes will travel on posted snow routes unless otherwise communicated.
Metro’s Customer Information Office opens at 6 a.m. Monday to assist riders with trip planning. Get in touch at 206-553-3000.
Posted timetables on Metro’s Schedules and Maps page are a good point of reference for the 60 ESN routes that are operating, but unforeseen roadway and weather conditions may result in delays or unplanned reroutes.
Customers should be aware that Puget Sound Trip Planner and third-party apps will not reflect ESN service and will not be accurate for planning itineraries on ESN days.
However, once intending riders know which ESN route they want to use, other Puget Sound Trip Planner features, such as maps, bus stop locations and timetables for ESN routes are valid. Puget Sound Trip Planner and other apps are still accurate for planning trips or getting schedules for regular service days. Next Departure features and Text for Departure tools are working for only bus routes that are in service.
Over the weekend, Sat/Sun., it was confusing with the 252 shuttle running as a 232 or 236 but numbered as 252/257 on Metro rpite paper link. Looping from kingsgate P & R to Safeway at 124th Ave and Ne 144th Street. Some drivers came up NE 132nd St all the way to 132nd Ave NE (The proper route) other drivers turned left on 124th instead of looping. And Snowplow was only sanding Northbound from Ne 132nd St on 132nd Ave NE. So half hour or hourly service was inconsistent hit and miss.
Although once finally on a bus after multiple attempts, driver drove us safely to 255. We are thankful for drivers trekking about in Snow!!
Plus ESN should be utilized as times on all data tables. Also timetables in Metro links wouldnt go past 734am each day, no scrolling past that am time of day. for 252/236
And somehow One Bus Away should be looped in, its an app more people use because of ease over Trip Planner with limited timetables that werent working.
Is the 775 shuttle to the water taxi running? It is listed but then only a map for the 773 is shown.
A Metro Transit Alert for 2/12 says: The West Seattle Water Taxi Shuttle routes 773 and 775 Emergency Snow Network (ESN) routes have resumed operation today. Expect significant delays due to a shortage of vehicles.
Dear Metro,
during my past two outings from home in hilly West Seattle, I have spent a combined total of fewer than 5 minutes at my regular bus stop.
Just thought you should know. (what with all of those likely to share stories of 4-hour waits, and stuff).
Thanks !
– West Seattle guy
Is the 55 bus route to West Seattle running tomorrow?
No, Route 55 will not be running Tuesday.
Hey Sam-c, great question! The Route 120 is scheduled to operated at the same frequencies shown in the Route 120 timetable, found here: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/schedules-maps/120.aspx, but it’s likely operating slower than normal due to the conditions. Thanks for your patience and stay safe out there!
Hey @Christia, the Route 131 is not part of Metro’s Emergency Snow Network (ESN), so it will not be operating today or tomorrow (2/12). See this linked map to view Metro’s ESN: https://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/depts/transportation/metro/maps/esn/metro-system-map-esn.pdf. The Route 120 and 128 are part of Metro’s ESN, and will be operating today and tomorrow (2/12). Thanks for your patience and understanding, and stay staff out there!
What about the 131
The 131 is not operating in ESN. To see which routes are operating please check the website: https://edit.kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/alerts-updates/winter/esn.aspx
thank you Bonnie ! I was going to ask the exact same thing. Other KC Metro websites list 120 as a ESN route. What about the frequency ? The other site listing the ESN info made it seemed like the frequency was the same ?
@sam-c The 120 is definitely operating in ESN. It will operate as close to regular service levels as possible.
However, facing unpredictable weather conditions and travel delays, Metro encourages commuters across the region to allow for another 30-60 minutes in their travel schedules. Riders should be prepared for crowding and potentially longer waits at bus stops.
What about the northeast side? Bothell and Woodinville and all the commuters on the 311 that go to downtown Seattle? Where is the clear information for us? Even the operator who helped me was not sure of the stops for the Snow Shuttle and could not give me a time table and was not sure exactly where to make the connection to the 255 heading downtown Seattle from the Kingsgate Park n Ride. I was on the phone for 40 minutes, she was genuinely nice and concerned but real information would be better. Also, i had to wait until Monday morning at 6am to get the information because the information could not be found on the websites and i spent 2 hours along with the help of others to try to figure it out to no clear avail. I am frustrated with the service to the northeast side. My commute today was 2 hours and 20 minutes. I am dependent on bus transportation.
@KP
Routes 372 and Sound Transit 522 should be operating in Bothell and Woodinville along the SR 522 corridor. Maps of the snow routing on those two routes are available on the ESN website: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/alerts-updates/winter/esn.aspx
Regarding the 255, you should be able to connect from the 252/255 snow shuttle to the main route 255 to downtown at Totem Lake. The snow shuttle map is here: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/alerts-updates/winter/esn.aspx#route-map-38. The regular 255 does have a snow route in south Kirkland so is likely operating slower than normal. Thanks for your patience.
Thanks for your comment @Bonnie, and great catch! We will update the blog post to include the ESN Route 120.
Why doesn’t this King County Metro blog update for West Seattle include the 120? It’s one of the most used routes in West Seattle and it’s one of the routes included to be still running in the ESN.