Metro studying transit improvements on Route 60

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King County Metro, in collaboration with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), is studying ways to improve travel times and reliability for Route 60 bus service. This bus route runs daily from 4 am to 1 am, with buses every 10-12 minutes between 7:00 am and 6:00 pm on weekdays. This north-south network connects people from Westwood Village to Capitol Hill via White Center, South Park, Georgetown, Beacon Hill, the International District, and First Hill neighborhoods, where many residents rely on transit for work, school, and essential services.

About 70% of all Route 60 buses arrive on time, performing below Metro’s on-time performance goal of at least 80%. Despite this challenge, Route 60 experiences an average of 6,200 weekday boardings, making this route a candidate for investments to address delays and inconsistent travel times.

Route 60 also serves communities defined in our Mobility Framework as “areas of unmet need,” including areas with a high proportion of people with low or no income, communities of color, people with disabilities and linguistically diverse communities, among other historically underserved communities.

Project map showing all four segment locations for the Route 60 study area. — Route 60 Project Map

The Route 60 study seeks to identify investments that will:

Reduce bus travel times by 10-15% during busy commute times.
Provide a more reliable service for more buses to arrive on time.
Improve connections to other travel modes in the area.
Improve the experience for current riders and attract new riders to use Route 60.

Route 60 Improvements Study areas

The study area includes four main segments along the existing route that are being studied to help improve travel time and bus reliability:

Segment 1: Broadway East & Mercer Street to 12th Avenue South & South Weller Street (First Hill, Capitol Hill International District)
Segment 2: Beacon Avenue South & South Lander Street to Stanley Avenue South & South Albro Place (North Beacon Hill)
Segment 3: 16th Avenue South & Swift Avenue South to East Marginal Way & 16th Avenue South (Georgetown)
Segment 4: East Marginal Way & 16th Avenue South to Westwood Village (South Park, Westwood-Highland Park)

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Potential improvements: what they are and why they matter

Metro has identified potential transit improvements that will provide faster, more reliable bus services to thousands of riders daily. Below are examples of the types of improvements under consideration to enhance bus service for current riders and our growing community. In addition to the improvements listed below, Metro will study transit signal priority throughout the corridor.

Segment 1: Broadway East & East Mercer Street to 12th Avenue South & South Weller Street (First Hill, Capitol Hill International District).

The East Mercer Street to South Weller Street segment includes portions of the First Hill, Capitol Hill, and International District neighborhoods. The route serves multiple community destinations, including the Capitol Hill Link light rail station, Swedish Hospital, and Harborview Medical Center.

Potential improvements to this segment may include:

Consolidation of bus stops on Ninth Avenue. Removing bus stops that are too close together and improving stop locations would improve reliability and save travel time.
Rerouting northbound buses from Broadway and Fir Street to Yesler Way and Eighth Avenue. Buses on Fir Street currently face delays due to the narrow street width and loading activities.
Building bus bulbs (wider sidewalks at key stops where buses face challenges merging in and out of traffic), including the stops at Capitol Hill Station and Harborview. Allowing a bus to stay in the lane while serving a stop reduces the amount of time lost to merging in and out of traffic, improves accessibility for riders, and can improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians.
Intersection improvements including changes to signal operations and lane configurations where buses face delays. Prioritizing transit movements reduces the amount of time buses spend at traffic lights and can improve travel times.
A Business Access and Transit (BAT) lane and queue jump for northbound buses on 12th Avenue approaching Boren Avenue. A transit lane and dedicated signal could improve reliability and address a location which causes significant delays during peak travel periods.

The map below shows locations and types of potential improvements for the segment.

Route 60 Segment 1 map shows where potential transit improvements may take place in Capitol Hill, First Hill, and Chinatown-International District. — Segment 1 – In some locations, more than one potential improvement is being considered.

Segment 2: Beacon Avenue South & South Lander Street to Stanley Avenue South & South Albro Place (North Beacon Hill).

The South Lander Street to South Albro Place segment includes portions of the North Beacon Hill neighborhood. The route serves multiple community destinations, including the Beacon Hill Link light rail Station, Jefferson Park, and Grover Cleveland STEM High School. This study does not include Route 60’s pathway from Beacon Avenue and McClellan Street to 12th Avenue and Jackson Street, as this area was recently examined as part of the Route 36 Corridor Study. SDOT is currently completing a project to address the transit flow needs identified in that study.

Potential improvements to this segment may include:

Removing a bus stop pair at 15th Avenue South and S Stevens Street or at 15th Avenue South and South Hanford Street. Also, relocating the southbound stop at 15th Avenue South and South Orcas Street further south. Wider stop spacing at these locations would improve travel time and result in better stop spacing based on Metro’s Bus Stop Guideline recommendations.
Intersection improvements to prioritize transit movements including traffic signal changes and new lane configurations. Prioritizing transit movements reduces the amount of time buses spend at traffic lights and can improve travel times.
Bus priority lanes at the following locations:
- Westbound at South McClellan Street and Beacon Avenue
- Northbound at 15th Avenue South and South Columbian Way
- Northbound at 15th Avenue and Spokane Street
  - Roadway lanes dedicated exclusively (or primarily) for the use of buses improves travel times as buses avoid general traffic delays in surrounding lanes.
Raised bike lane on Swift Avenue to sidewalk level at the northbound 16th Avenue South bus stop. This change will allow the bus to serve the stop more efficiently while reducing potential conflict between bike riders and buses.

The map below shows locations and types of potential improvements for the segment.

Route 60 Segment 2 map shows where potential transit improvements may take place in North Beacon Hill. — Segment 2 – In some locations, more than one potential improvement is being considered.

Segment 3: 16th Avenue South & Swift Avenue South to East Marginal Way & 16th Avenue South (Georgetown).

The Swift Avenue South to 16th Avenue South segment includes portions of the Georgetown neighborhood. The route serves multiple community destinations, including South Seattle College (Georgetown Campus), Georgetown Tiny House Village, and Boeing offices.

Potential improvements to this segment may include:

A minor route change of westbound buses to keep them on Albro Place and serve a new stop at Albro Place and 13th Avenue South instead of serving the southbound stop on 13th Avenue South and Bailey Street. This change would speed up the route by reducing the number of turns it makes.
Bus priority lanes at the following locations:
- Eastbound on Albro Place approaching I-5
- Eastbound on Bailey Street approaching Carleton Avenue
- Southbound Ellis Avenue approaching Marginal Way
- Southbound on Marginal Way approaching 14th Avenue South
- Northbound on 16th Avenue approaching Marginal Way
Roadway lanes dedicated exclusively (or primarily) for the use of buses improves travel times by avoiding general traffic delays in surrounding lanes.
Closing the eastbound bus stop at Albro Place and Stanley Avenue South. This stop has low ridership and is less than 600 feet from the previous stop at 13th Avenue South and South Bailey Street.

The map below shows the locations and types of potential improvements for the segment.

Route 60 Segment 3 map shows where potential transit improvements may take place in Georgetown. — Segment 3 – In some locations, more than one potential improvement is being considered.

Segment 4: East Marginal Way & 16th Avenue South to Westwood Village (South Park, Westwood-Highland Park).

The East Marginal Way to Westwood Village segment includes portions of the South Park and Westwood-Highland Park neighborhoods. The route serves multiple community assets such as the Olson/Myers Park and Ride and Westwood Village.

Potential improvements to this segment may include:

A new bus priority lane on Cloverdale Street approaching 14th Avenue South. This lane would help buses bypass long lines of traffic during morning and evening rush hours.
Intersection improvements near the Olson Place and Myers Way Park and Ride to reduce travel time and improve bus reliability.
Closure of the eastbound bus stop at Barton Place and 22nd Avenue Southwest. Removing this stop will help improve travel time and result in better stop spacing that aligns with Metro’s recommended guidelines.

The map below shows locations and types of potential improvements for the segment.

Route 60 Segment 4 map shows where potential transit improvements may take place in South Park and Westwood-Highland Park. — Segment 4 – In some locations, more than one potential improvement is being considered.

We want to hear from you!

Take our survey by February 20, 2026 to share your feedback with our team on the proposed improvements.

Metro wants to learn:

How are you currently using Route 60?
What concerns you have about Route 60?
What changes would you most like to see for Route 60?

This winter, from January 16 to February 20, 2026, Metro will engage with riders, businesses, and community members to receive feedback that will help inform the proposed concept design for Route 60 improvements. Metro is committed to involving the community in this study to ensure that their needs and vision help inform future design decisions.

Next steps

The project is currently in the planning phase. During this phase, the study team will engage with bus riders, local organizations, businesses, community members, and other key groups to receive input on the proposed improvements. Metro will continue to engage with the community as the project moves towards final design and construction. Metro and SDOT will partner to design and implement recommendations to improve speed and reliability.