Transit changes are coming to south King County: Metro wants your feedback on proposed route improvements
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As Link light rail extends south as soon as 2026, King County Metro’s South Link Connections mobility project continues to work on improving public transportation in south King County.
In response to what we heard from community members and partners in Algona, Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Normandy Park, Pacific, SeaTac, Tukwila and parts of unincorporated King County, Metro is excited to share an updated transit network proposal.
We invite you to learn more and let us know what you think about these proposed changes by taking our survey by August 31.
Since spring 2024, Metro has reached out to communities asking for input on the changes coming to the mobility system they depend on. You can learn more about our engagement efforts in the Phase 1 and Phase 2 Engagement summaries.
The feedback from the Phase 1 engagement shaped Metro’s priorities on proposed changes to the transit network, including:
- Greater transit coverage
- Improved early morning and nighttime service
- Faster travel times within and beyond the project area
- Improved east-west transit connections
- Increased weekend service, especially on Saturdays
The updated proposal to the transit network in South King County is now ready for public review and input. The update includes:
- New transit connections: Adding new connections to future Link light rail stations.
- All-day service: Investing in bus routes that operate all day, every day, with increased trips on weekdays and weekends trips.
- New and improved weekend service: New service on Saturdays and Sundays in Burien, new service on Sundays between Kent and Federal Way and more frequent service on weekends between Kent Des Moines Station, Kent Station, Kent East Hill and Green River College
- Improved east-west service: Enhancing important routes across the area, including service connecting Highline College, Kent Station and Green River College along with service between Twin Lakes Park & Ride, Federal Way Downtown Station and Auburn Station.
- On-demand services: Launching two new Metro Flex on-demand pilot services in Federal Way and Auburn to connect more people to transit.
- Faster service: Updating bus routes between West Federal Way and Downtown Federal Way to make this connection quicker, more direct and easier to navigate.
More details on specific proposed changes are available on the Metro South Link Connections website. You can also stay up to date by signing up to receive project alerts
We want to hear from YOU!
As we prepare our next steps on improving the transit network in south King County, public input is necessary. We’ll use your feedback on these potential changes to create a final transit service proposal.
Here are a few ways you can share your feedback with us:
Take the survey by August 31.
Join us at one of our upcoming Virtual Information Sessions:
- Wednesday, August 6 12:00 p.m. Register here.
- Wednesday, August 20 6:00 p.m. Register here.
Find us at local events or bus stops now through August.
Questions? Contact the South Link Connections team at HaveASay@kingcounty.gov.
Buried in text: Route 162 cancelled. Alternate route — 30 blocks away — is not tenable. Bus loads of people every day are stranded. Livelihoods damaged. You must maintain Route 162.
I give up, survey took me in the wrong direction.
Suggestion for all surveys: don’t bury the link in tons of verbiage and useless fluff. Make it prominent and the first thing that appears. It takes three paragraphs into the page to find the actual survey. No one wants to read all the B.S. surrounding it.
Our feedback? You only want our feedback so King County Metro can do the opposite.