The last few times we’ve asked you to “get ready,” it hasn’t been connected with good news. Alaskan Way Viaduct closure and buses moving out of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel required the public to change travel times and habits, and made tougher commutes for everyone. But, we have great news with the Fall Service Change starting September 21: more Metro to get you where you are going.

While the Seattle Squeeze will continue until 2024, hundreds of new trips will be added seven days per week on more than 35 routes throughout King County – 1,350 weekly trips in total – thanks to Metro investments and Seattle Transportation Benefit District funds from City of Seattle.

More service on 24 routes, including several that connect Seattle with other cities, is made possible by voter-approved STBD investments – funding that’s designed to address overcrowded trips, improve east-west connections, provide better 24-hour service, and build out the city’s frequent transit network.

These 24 increased routes include: 3, 5, 5X, 7, 11, 14, 17, 21, 28, 36, 40, 41, 44, 48, 50, 65, 67, 120, 124, 372, 373, RapidRide C Line, RapidRide D Line, and RapidRide E Line.

Metro funding will allow south King County routes 105, 164, 183, 346, and 906 to double in frequency, shifting from service every 60 minutes to service every 30 minutes. Investing in these five highly-productive routes in historically underserved south King County communities offers better connections, and access to jobs, school, and childcare.

Additional service change highlights include expanded hours of 10-minute service on RapidRide E Line; expanded hours of 15-minute service on routes 1, 14, 40, 41, 65, 67, and 120; new midday and Saturday service on Route 635; and later evening service on routes 40, 101, and 150.

Stats at a Glance

Since fall 2014, Metro has increased its service hours by 25 percent, surpassing 4.5 million total annualized service hours in 2019. Starting in 2015, over 350,000 of these service hours have been provided by $50 million in annual STBD investments to better connect Seattle neighborhoods to downtown Seattle.  Since 2017, Metro has added more than 328,000 annual service hours – the equivalent of 75 buses operating 365 days per year for 12 hours per day – to increase frequency and improve reliability on key corridors. The mobility agency, with support from City of Seattle, now offers more than 13,233 bus trips every weekday.

Passengers can read details about changes on Metro’s website and begin pre-planning trips using Metro’s Trip Planner app by entering a travel date of Sept. 21 or later. Changes also are included in a red Rider Alert brochure, and new green timetables that will be distributed on buses and at customer service locations.

Additional Metro Transit service starting Sept. 21

Comprehensive updates are available on Metro’s Service Change website.

  • More trips on the shoulders of peak service: 3, 40, 65, 67, 218, 252, 255, 271, 311, C Line, and E Line
  • More frequent service: 1, 14, 40, 41, 65, 67, 120, and E Line
  • Expanded hours of 30-minute service: 105, 164, 183, 346, and 906
  • New midday and Saturday service: 635, in partnership with City of Des Moines
  • Night Owl: 40, 101 and 150 

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