This year, King County Metro is developing a new plan to map out future transit options for Renton, Kent, Auburn and surrounding areas, including communities within the Green River Valley and East Hill.
The plan, called the Area Mobility Plan, will integrate a new RapidRide line, local bus service, dial-a-ride transit (DART) buses, and Metro’s Community Connections Program, which provides cost-effective transportation options in areas that are not set up to support typical bus service.
Metro currently operates six RapidRide lines across the county that more reliable and are up to 20 percent faster than traditional bus service. By 2023, Metro plans to launch the RapidRide I Line, which will upgrade the current Route 180 between Auburn Station and Kent Station and combine it with the current Route 169 from Kent Station to Renton. Benefits of the I Line include:
- Reliable service: I Line buses will be more frequent and stay on time more often than the current routes, with added service at night and on weekends.
- Bus stop upgrades: New stations will include improved lighting, signs with real-time arrival information, and ORCA card readers that allow you to pay before you board.
- Better access: Metro will work with local cities to improve sidewalks, street crossings and other pathways to bus stops to ensure a safe and convenient experience.
We want to hear from you
Metro is talking with area communities to learn their needs and priorities for the new RapidRide service and other mobility needs. We plan to make initial improvements to service in the area as soon as 2020.
Your input will help us make decisions about:
- Changes to existing transit routes and services.
- The new RapidRide I Line’s route.
- Other projects that improve safety for all kinds of travel in the area.
- Other projects that improve access to transit by making it easier, safer, or more convenient to get to—or wait for—the bus.
Want to get involved?
- Take Metro’s survey by March 29 to help us learn more about how you travel today and what you’d like to see in the future.
- Apply for our Renton-Kent-Auburn Mobility Board to advise Metro about service change ideas and proposals and ways to engage and include the community.
- Visit the project website to get the latest project details, including meetings and events where Metro will be providing information this year.
It should be a RR connecting East Hill, Renton Benson Hill-Renton Highlands-Newcastle-Bellevue. Kent and Auburn got express routes to Seattle and Bellevue already and they travel much faster without a Downtown Renton transfer. They also have Sounder stations. Those destinations don’t need east west buses channeling riders to their TC and sounder hubs, not to Downtown Renton, where they all have to transfer to much slower buses to continue north. Downtown Renton should not be a terminus point for routes. There is really nothing there. There should be a stop near Renton City Hall instead of car oriented stores and gas stations on Raineir ave.
I’ve been in my location at the border of N. Renton and Newcastle for 20 years (right off exit 7 on i450). In none of that time did KC Metro ever provide service for my area. The closest stops are a minimum of 2 miles away. While its nice to see KC Metro *actually* asking for input (its never happened before), I have serious doubts that they ever listen. And my taxes keep paying for zero service. Wow. Just Wow.
WOW – so once again NOTHING for the Renton to Downtown corridor which continues to suffer from lack of on time performance, despite adding weekday trips every 15 minutes!!!!
The 101 route serves people living in Renton as well as West Hill/Skyway & operates on TWO highways, SR 900 AND I-5! For the life of me I do not understand WHY this route hasn’t been switched to a Rapid Ride yet, and now I see proposals for RR-H & RR-I, neither of which will serve those riding the 101 to and from Downtown Seattle!
I’m EXTREMELY disappointed in service improvements in an area that has a direct shot to and from Downtown Seattle!!!
People in Renton Highlands/Newcastle paying taxes for Valley Medical District, but Don’t have any direct bus service to it. RR-F long buses run every 10min between Southcenter and Landing empty. But 240 and 169 are always full, and most passengers on those don’t go to Downtown Renton. There is nothing there. 240 riders get off in Downtown Renton to transfer to continue south to Valley Medical area, Benson Hill and the 169 riders almost ALL transfer to continue north to Bellevue or Seattle. 240 and 169 should be a one route, and should not make so many rounds thru downtown Renton by bypassing it all via Main street and not Ranier Ave. Especially since the Renton TC is finally closing, which was long overdue. There is nothing there. RR – F is a waste of resources that are needed to for a continuous RR between Valley Medical/Benson Hill and Bellevue/Seattle. As well as there needs to be a frequent bus between the airport and Fairwood on the Petrovitski corridor and not this weird fragmented shuttle 900 something. It’s so useless, I don’t even remember its number. Used to be 155 that at turned into 156 in Southcenter and operated as one east-west bus, connecting airport and Petrovitsky corridor.
Buddy, I line will upgrade buses frequency… And as far as I read and know, 101 will bump service by 2024…. Adding more frequency and weekend service.Believe me, RapidRides routes affect the whole.