Executive Constantine announces proposal for King County Metro bus upgrades across the Eastside

Thousands of added bus trips each week, integrated connections to future 2 Line light rail

SUMMARY

King County Executive Dow Constantine is proposing a boost to Metro bus service on the Eastside in 2025 and 2026 to better serve communities and to connect with Sound Transit’s upcoming East Link light rail extensions. The King County Council will review and consider the legislative proposal in the coming weeks.

STORY

Executive Constantine today announced a proposal for Metro bus upgrades that Eastside riders and residents asked for, including more frequent bus service along key corridors, more service on nights and weekends, new and improved connections to key destinations, and connections to Sound Transit Link 2 Line stations.

If adopted by the King County Council, Metro would add eight new bus routes, revise 16 routes, and delete and replace 20 routes in the network. The final network will roll out in phases that align with Sound Transit’s 2 Line light rail service extension across Lake Washington. Once completed, buses will connect riders to 12 rail stations in Seattle, Mercer Island, Bellevue, and Redmond.

“Through the East Link Connections project, we are adding over 3,300 bus trips each week all across the Eastside, with more service on weekdays, nights, and weekends to better serve riders and communities,” said Executive Constantine. “As we continue to grow transit ridership at a rapid pace, and especially when we launch Link Light Rail service across Lake Washington, travel between the Eastside and Seattle – the state’s largest employment centers – will become significantly easier, faster and more predictable.”

Metro’s plan reviewed bus service across 21 cities on the Eastside and parts of Seattle, representing a population of over 860,000. Thousands of riders and Eastside communities directly guided Metro’s plan, including a Mobility Board of local community members, and a Partner Review Board composed of representatives from local cities, organizations, partner agencies, and the community.

“We worked collaboratively to greatly improve how people get around on the Eastside, and the East Link Connections project opens the doors for riders to access an ever-expanding region via transit,” said King County Metro General Manager Michelle Allison. “There will be more bus service and connections from Totem Lake to downtown Redmond, and more frequent buses between Overlake, Crossroads, Lake Hills and Eastgate. These improvements will draw thousands of Eastside riders to fast and convenient buses and trains to reach their destinations more quickly and easily.”

Better bus service – by the numbers

The proposed network was developed with extensive community engagement and includes the following benefits:

• More than 2,770 added weekday trips.
• More than 593 added weekend trips.
• Faster regional connections for Bellevue, Redmond, Issaquah, Renton, and other cities
• Bus route connections to one or more 2 Line stations for 23 of the 24 project areas.
• More frequent service on routes 111, 223, 224, 225, 226, 240, 249, 269.
• Later night service in Renton, Bellevue, Totem Lake, and Redmond on routes 111, 220, 249, 930.
• New weekend service in Renton, Bellevue, Mercer Island, North Bend, Snoqualmie, Issaquah, Totem Lake, and Redmond (Routes 111, 204, 215, 269, 930).
• New Metro Flex service area in the Overlake neighborhood (currently in design).
• Improved access to frequent transit for approximately 24,000 people residing in Equity Priority Areas and more than 30,000 people in total.
• Improved connections to local and regional destinations such as Bellevue, Redmond, Issaquah, and Renton.
• Four routes create new connections between cities or to Link light rail (Routes 203, 222, 251, 931).
• Greater overall transit system reliability with shorter and streamlined routes, and connections to reliable Link service.

Phasing in service with light rail expansions

New Sound Transit 2 Line stations are scheduled to open in 2025. Metro’s bus changes on the Eastside will take place starting in 2025, followed by additional route changes in 2026 after the opening of the full 2 Line across Lake Washington and as Metro’s workforce allows.

This proposal is centered on expanding service, adding approximately 160,000 annual service hours to the transit system, and improving connections to 12 Link stations. Metro service also would improve mobility for priority populations, as defined by Metro’s Mobility Framework, including Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, people with low- or no-income, people with disabilities, refugees and immigrants, and diverse language speakers.

Integrating the Metro bus system with Link light rail will offer current and future Metro customers faster, more frequent, and more reliable connections to jobs, education, and other opportunities, and will advance equitable outcomes.

 Proposed route changes by phases

• Spring 2025: RapidRide B Line, partial implementation of routes 224, 250, 269 and 930.
• (*phasing to be determined in the coming months)
• Routes not currently operating that will be formally deleted and replaced in phases by other bus routes and 2 Line service: 114, 167, 200, 214, 216, 217, 219, 232, 237, 252, 268 and 342.

Relevant links

• East Link Connections Mobility Project legislation will be posted on the King County Council web page
• East Link Connections Mobility Project web page