Showing posts with label transit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transit. Show all posts

Downtown Seattle bus route changes on Monday

Monday, November 5, 2012

By Brian Doennebrink

In an effort to help speed evening rush hour trips for routes heading north from downtown, these route and stop changes will start Monday, November 5:

  • For Metro Transit, routes 301 (to Shoreline), 306 (Lake Forest Park, Kenmore), 308 (Lake Forest Park), and 312 (Lake Forest Park, Kenmore) will shift from Olive Way to Pike Street
  • For Sound Transit, route 522 to Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, and beyond will now turn right onto Pike Street from Fourth Avenue and use the Pike Street entrance to the I-5 express lanes in the afternoon. Its last stop downtown will be on Pike Street just west of Sixth Avenue.
  • To help keep Fourth Avenue moving, the change requires closing the bus stop at Fourth Avenue and Union Street. All buses that currently serve that zone will now stop on Fourth Avenue just north of Pike Street adjacent to Westlake Park. These northbound Sound Transit Express routes will now use the stop at Westlake - 510 and 511 to Everett (via Shoreline off-peak), 512 to Everett via Shoreline (presently only runs on Sundays), 513 to Everett via Mountlake Terrace. Northbound Community Transit routes 405 to Edmonds Park / Ride and the 416 to Shoreline and Edmonds are among the routes that are impacted.


Read more...

County council subsidizes bus tickets for homeless and low income

Monday, October 15, 2012


To meet the growing demand for bus tickets, the King County Council approved a one-time subsidy of up to $250,000 to the Bus Ticket Program—with the additional tickets distributed by the health and human service agencies that are currently part of the program. The increase will be funded from money set aside in 2012 to mitigate elimination of the Downtown Seattle Ride Free Area.

The current economic crisis, combined with the elimination of the Downtown Seattle Ride Free Area, has meant that human service agencies have seen an increase in the number of individuals and families needed tickets through the Reduced Fare Bus Ticket Program.

“With more people being left out in the cold by this tough economy, making additional subsidized bus tickets immediately available will help provide those most in need with transportation to and from shelters, services, and jobs,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, chair of the Council’s Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee and prime sponsor of the legislation. 
“As a bus commuter on the #41 and the former director of an emergency services organization, I have seen first-hand how vital public transportation is to all members of our community,” said Councilmember Bob Ferguson, co-sponsor of the ordinance. “Today’s action will help those struggling in this economy to access shelter, job training, and needed services.”


Read more...

How's your bus commute going?

By Diane Hettrick

The general manager of Metro took the rather unusual step of writing a letter to Metro riders, promising that things would smooth out from all the route changes. It is published below.

How is your commute going? I have heard nothing but complaints - a one bus ride now requires a transfer and the second bus doesn't always show up - commute time has been doubled - a lot of concerns about the back-up where Metro busses are no longer allowed in the "bus tunnel".

Will this all just smooth out or is it bad enough to put you back in your car?

Here's the letter:


Dear Metro customer,
It’s been two weeks of commutes since we made major changes to Metro Transit service, and while things are going more smoothly for many, we still are working on several problems identified by our customers. 
We’ve taken steps to address crowding on some routes, and are monitoring reports of missed stops on other routes. We also are working with bus drivers to make things go more smoothly on every trip – including directing riders to consistently exit at the back of the bus when able and encouraging riders to move to the back so passengers aren’t left at the curb. 
We’re taking these steps in part because you reported them. While we may not be able to address every concern, we do consider all feedback and potential solutions as we work to serve as many riders as we can with the best system we can. Your feedback is appreciated and valued. 
Thanks for riding Metro Transit and for your patience during this unusual period of transition for so many. 
Kevin Desmond, Metro Transit General Manager

Read more...

King County Metro changes #301 routing

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

By Brian Doennebrink

By September 29, King County Metro will make service changes that will impact route #301 riders from Shoreline. The #301 travels from Aurora Village Transit Center, south on Aurora, then east on 175th to I-5 to downtown Seattle and visa-versa.

Southbound, the 301 will serve the bus stops on Second Ave at Lenora, Pike, Marion, James and S Jackson streets.

Northbound Route 301 buses will move from the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel to Second Ave southbound and Fourth Ave northbound. Northbound, the 301 will serve the bus stop on Fourth Ave S just south of S Jackson St, the Fourth Ave bus stops at James, Madison, University and Pike streets, and the bus stop on Olive Way just west of Sixth Ave.

Also starting Sept. 29, the Ride Free Area in downtown Seattle will end. At the same time, riders will be required to pay on entry for all trips in King County. 




Read more...

Major changes coming for some transit riders this month

Sunday, September 9, 2012


In just a few weeks, transit riders across King County face major changes as Metro Transit focuses bus service to serve more people, begins a pay-on-entry system and launches two new RapidRide lines serving downtown Seattle (Shoreline's RapidRide is still in the planning stages).

Thousands of riders will see changes to their routes starting Sept. 29. Dozens of routes will have different bus stops, travel on different streets or have changed schedules. Some low-ridership routes will be eliminated and buses moved to serve more people.

Community Transit busses operating in King County will also change to a payment on entry system.

“It’s homework time for riders, and we are putting tools online and on the street to help,” said Kevin Desmond, Metro Transit general manager. “We need riders to start preparing now so they understand how they’ll be affected by our planned route changes. 
“These changes make the best use of limited tax dollars, increase connections between routes and reduce route duplication – and by doing so we meet the needs of more people.”

Starting now, riders can go online and see a summary of the changes Metro has planned. Printed rider alert brochures will be distributed in coming weeks, and Metro’s online trip planner will be updated mid-September so riders can map out which routes work best for them. Also, teams of Metro personnel will be on the streets at the end of September and first week of October to answer rider questions.

Sept. 29, Metro also is transitioning to a pay-on-entry system on all buses. Eliminating the downtown Ride Free Area, which has been in place nearly 40 years, will raise needed revenue and preserve transit service. Riders should prepare for initial delays as lines form to pay fares when boarding.

“We expect the transition will take some getting used to, and we ask for everyone’s patience – especially the first week of October as riders and drivers adjust,” Desmond said. “It won’t be easy, but we can get to our new normal faster if riders know about how coming changes will affect them.”

Riders can speed up boarding times and be ready for the pay-on-entry system by getting an ORCA card. For those who relied most on the Ride Free Area to reach services in downtown Seattle, a free circulator shuttle will be implemented in association with the city of Seattle to serve those who need to access downtown human services and health resources.
  
Metro Transit has many tools online, with more planned in coming weeks.



Read more...

Metro Transit forming Sounding Board in Shoreline/North Seattle area

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Photo by Ned Ahrens, King County

by Metro Matters Team

With Metro Transit’s RapidRide E Line starting in fall 2013, King County Metro Transit is forming a community Sounding Board in the Shoreline and North Seattle areas to gather advice to improve bus service connections.

Bus riders who regularly travel routes in that area are invited to help develop service change recommendations for fall 2013. The sounding board will meet 9 to 12 times, from September 2012 to March 2013. Sound Board meetings mostly will be scheduled on Thursday evenings unless a scheduling conflict occurs.


For questions or to receive a printed application form, contact Ashley DeForest, 206-684-1154.

Why change bus service?
Starting fall 2013, the RapidRide E Line will travel the Aurora Avenue North corridor between Aurora Village Transit Center and downtown Seattle. The E Line will provide a backbone of new, frequent transit service that other routes in the area can connect to and complement. 

Working with the Sounding Board, Metro will be considering changes to improve:
  • connections to the E Line
  • bus service in the neighborhoods surrounding Aurora Avenue North
  • connections between transit activity centers such as Fremont, Wallingford, Greenwood, Greenlake, Northgate and Shoreline.


Read more...

Metro Transit kicks off football season Saturday with Seahawks shuttles

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

King County Metro Transit has special shuttles to take football fans to the Seattle Seahawks first preseason game Saturday, August 11.

The non-stop shuttles leave the Northgate Transit Center beginning two hours before kick-off. Each shuttle will leave as it is filled. The last shuttle leaves for the game about 35 minutes before kickoff. All pre-game shuttles arrive near CenturyLink Field northbound on Fifth Avenue South at South Weller Street.

A cash-only exact fare of $4 one way or $8 round trip per person is required. No passes or transfers are accepted.

The Northgate shuttle leaves northbound on Fifth Avenue South from just north of South Weller Street.

Shuttles are not available for the team’s weeknight games on Thursday, Aug. 30, and Monday, Sept. 24.

All travelers in the SODO, Pioneer Square and downtown Seattle areas can expect traffic congestion and delays before and after Seahawks games and other Stadium events.

For information about regular Transit service to Seahawks games, or to plan other trips, visit Metro Online or Metro’s online Trip Planner. The Trip Planner provides information about scheduled service and stops, and does not take service revisions into account. After planning your trip, check Metro’s Construction and Events page to find out about any planned revisions to your routes. Details about the Seahawks shuttle service is online.

Seattle Seahawks 2012 home schedule (kick-off times are subject to change)

7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11 vs. Titans (pre-season)
7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 30 vs. Oakland (pre-season, no park-and-ride service this game)
1:05 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16 vs. Dallas
5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 24 vs. Green Bay (no park-and-ride service)
1:05 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14 vs. New England
1:05 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4 vs. Minnesota
1:05 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11 vs. NY Jets
1:05 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9 vs. Cardinals
1:15 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 23 vs. 49ers
1:15 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 30 vs. Rams


Read more...

'Dump the Pump" Day June 21

Tuesday, June 19, 2012



The Puget Sound region's public transportation agencies are joining forces to encourage commuters to make national Dump the Pump Day, June 21, the day they climb aboard buses, trains and ferries and spend their hard-earned dollars on something other than gas.

With volatile gas prices over $4 per gallon for regular, the more than 560,000 riders who take advantage of the region's public transportation services already understand the savings they can reap.

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) transit savings calculator shows that the cost of driving 20 miles round trip each weekday in a car that gets 23 miles per gallon with $4 per gallon for gas and $10 a day for parking is approximately $2,300 more per year than riding transit, taking into account the cost of a transit pass.*

If everyone who currently rides transit each day drove a car the same distance they would cumulatively use more than $615,000 in fuel daily. The more than 150,000 gallons of fuel burned would result in greenhouse gas emissions of more than 1,300 metric tons daily.

National Dump the Pump Day is sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) to encourage people to take advantage of public transportation systems available in local communities across the nation. By doing so, people can save money as well as help the environment and increase the nation's energy independence.

Metro will be reaching out to riders on Facebook to ask how they plan to Dump the Pump on June 21. Ten people will win a Dump the Pump t-shirt and an ORCA card loaded with $10. Participants will be selected through a random drawing on June 25. Metro will also be reaching out to residents with a reminder that they can learn more about the travel and cost-savings benefits of using transit by visiting Metro Online.



Read more...

County Executive recommends RapidRide expansion in Shoreline

Thursday, June 14, 2012


Rapid Ride bus
Photo courtesy Metro Transit


County Executive recommends alignments for expansion of RapidRide from Shoreline to Seattle and Burien to Renton - Metro Transit’s E and F lines expected to provide up to 4 million annual bus rides

King County Executive Dow Constantine recommended Thursday, alignments and station locations for two more RapidRide lines connecting Shoreline with Seattle, and Burien with Renton.

“RapidRide is a cost-effective complement to light rail – and these two new lines deliver on the promise of Transit Now, with up to 4 million rides a year to jobs, shopping, and recreation,” said Executive Constantine, who sent his proposed ordinance to the Metropolitan King County Council. 

The E Line will run the length of Aurora Boulevard from Shoreline to downtown Seattle. It will offer frequent service to the busy Aurora Village Transit Center, and provide key connections for residents who live east and west of Aurora.

“As a regular rider on Metro bus Route 41, I know how important fast, reliable bus service is for getting where you need to go,” said Councilmember Bob Ferguson, whose council district includes north Seattle and Shoreline. “Adding RapidRide service from Shoreline to downtown on the Aurora corridor will improve transit mobility along one of the region’s most heavily used bus corridors, helping people get to work, school, and home.”

“RapidRide E Line serves one of the most popular transit corridors in Metro’s system and RapidRide F Line connects bus riders to light rail and commuter rail,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips, Chair of the Transportation, Environment, and Economy Committee, and representative of communities served by the E Line. “Increasing speed, reliability, and safety through RapidRide will improve the commutes of current riders and attract new transit riders.”

RapidRide is a different type of Metro service that features high-frequency service, off-board fare payment, and systems that integrate the buses with traffic signals and signage. It adds up to a more efficient and effective transit system. RapidRide also has distinctive red-and-yellow buses are energy efficient, low-emission hybrid vehicles with low floors and three doors for easier, faster boarding.

The proposed ordinance is scheduled for hearing at the Council’s Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee in mid-July. 


Read more...

Metro route 348 service change in Richmond Beach

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Route 348 deleted routing and bus stop in Richmond Beach
Graphic courtesy Metro Transit


Starting Sunday, June 10, 2012, route 348, which runs to/from Richmond Beach and Northgate Transit Center via North City, will be revised to operate in both directions on NW 196th St between 20th Ave NW and 24th Ave NW in Richmond Beach. 

It will no longer operate on 20th Ave NW, 21st Pl NW, 23rd Pl NW or 24th Ave NW.


Read more...

Wednesday public transportation changes and cancellations

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Metro Transit

King County Metro Transit will operate with buses on snow routes Wednesday, and some bus routes are scheduled to be cancelled in the morning. As travel conditions deteriorate, please consider limiting travel if at all possible. Check Metro’s snow page for the current status of bus service.

Community Transit

Community Transit has determined it only will provide limited commuter service on Jan. 18. Downtown Seattle and University District commuter routes will operate first and last scheduled trips. If possible, additional trips may operate in between.

Route 414 will not operate.

Regular Community Transit 40-foot coaches will operate on the Swift route. Swift is scheduled to operate on its regular schedule.

Sound Transit

Apparently the Sounder train from Edmonds will be running to downtown Seattle as scheduled.



Read more...

Metro schedule changes for the week and shuttles to the Apple Cup

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Metro has schedule changes this week for Thanksgiving holiday; plus shuttles from four park-and-rides to Apple Cup on Saturday

Huskies host Cougs at Century Link – not on UW campus; $5 for round-trip shuttle

This week, King County Metro Transit will be operating a Sunday schedule on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, and then a reduced weekday schedule for Friday, November 25. Both days will have less bus service than on a regular weekday.

On Saturday, November 26, Metro will have regular service and special shuttles for the 104th Apple Cup between the University of Washington Huskies and the Washington State University Cougars. This year’s clash is being held at CenturyLink Field, home of the Seahawks, due to the renovation of Husky Stadium.

There are some changes for the Husky shuttles this weekend due to the CenturyLink location that fans should take note of:

  • The shuttles will provide round-trip service from four park-and-ride lots: Eastgate, South Kirkland, Northgate, and Federal Way. There are no shuttles from other lots for this game. And, please remember the last shuttle leaves CenturyLink 30 minutes after the end of the game.
  • There will be a charge for the special shuttle to CenturyLink Field to help cover the service costs. There is a one-way cash fare of $2.50, or $5 for a round-trip voucher purchased from the bus driver. Please have the correct cash fare, the bus driver does not carry change.
  • Children under 5 ride free, but there are no other free fares for this game.
  • Admission tickets are not valid for bus fares to/from CenturyLink for this game on either the shuttles or regular service. Also, ORCA passes and transfers cannot be used on the shuttles.
  • Check the online Trip Planner for other regular transit service options to get to and from the game.

For information about all of Metro’s services, including schedules for upcoming holidays, visit Metro Online, or call the Customer Information Office at 206-553-3000.


Read more...

King County and Sound Transit land $14.4 million in federal grants for buses, facilities

Monday, October 17, 2011

Metro North Base lid to be redone.
Photo from Wikipedia



The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today, October 17, 2011, awarded King County $6 million in grants that will enable Metro to improve facilities and enhance its ability to monitor and track the efficiency of its transit assets.

Sound Transit received $8.4 million in separate FTA grants that will help replace aging buses with new vehicles featuring hybrid-diesel technology, and will help make the new Link light rail station at South 200th Street in SeaTac more accessible for bus transfers, bicyclists and pedestrians when it opens in 2016.

The grants will create jobs and make ST Express fleet greener.


A neighborhood park sits atop the lid of the Metro North Base.
Photo by Haddad Drugan

The $6 million FTA grant will fund replacement of the roof at Metro’s north transit base, which has reached the end of its useful life. When completed, this green roof will continue to support a neighborhood playground on top, which has been a popular play area for a number of years.

Neighbors helped create mosaic pavers.
Photo by Haddad Drugan
The park was designed by Laura Haddad. In 1995, she was awarded a $10,000 grant for art in the park but decided that the space was so grim and drab that the money would be better spent redesigning the area for public use.

The grant will replace the lid and renew the park.
Photo by Haddad Drugan
From the Haddad Drugan website:
"Existing materials including concrete pavers, picnic tables, plants, and a sandbox were moved and transformed to create a series of smaller-scaled, friendly, and playful spaces. Colorful paint and perennials were added, and a new entry portal replaced the chain link fence. Laura worked with park neighbors to cast and inlay mosaic-concrete pavers that were incorporated into the park."

Read more...

Metro adds services in north end

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Metro announced many service cuts in King County beginning September 30, 2011.

It would be wise to check schedules for your Metro trips and sign up for rider alerts. 


However, Shoreline and Lake Forest Park gained additional service on Route 303 from the 192nd Park n Ride, and Route 309 which stops at Kenmore and Lake Forest Park.


Read more...

Community Transit cutting services

Monday, August 29, 2011

Our News Partner Lynnwood Today reports that Community Transit is in process of deciding how to cut their routes.

"Community Transit’s Board of Directors is expected to decide on Thursday which routes will be affected by service cuts. The agency is slashing 20 percent of service, or roughly 80,000 hours, due to a shortfall blamed on low sales tax revenue. That’s in addition to cuts made in 2010 that eliminated Sunday and holiday service. 
“'By this time next year we will have cut about a third of the service and about a third of the employees that we had at the beginning of 2010,' Community Transit CEO Joyce Eleanor said in April."

Many Shoreline residents commute to Seattle and the University of Washington on CT routes, either via I-5 or Aurora. CT shares the Aurora Transit Center with Metro and the City of Shoreline has long been interested in luring CT even farther south, to the Park and Ride at N 192nd.

The Board of Directors will decide on the details of service cuts this Thursday, with suggestions of more to come.


Read more...

King County Metro initiates new route: #309 from Kenmore to South Lake Union/First Hill

Thursday, February 3, 2011

On February 5, King County Metro introduces new route #309 from Kenmore and Lake Forest Park to South Lake Union (Fairview and Mercer) and First Hill (Boren Avenue to 12th Ave S and S Jackson St). The route will operate three runs during weekday mornings (leaving Kenmore Park & Ride at 7:31, 8:01, and 8:31), with three runs during weekday afternoons (leaving 12th Ave S and S Jackson St at 4:30, 5:00, 5:30). The route, which also serves Lake City Way, does not operate on weekends.

For those who live west of Bothell Way NE, connections can be made to the route via Metro’s route 331 that runs along Ballinger Way NE or route #330, which travels between Shoreline Community College and Lake City Way NE.

For more information on this route go to this webpage.

Read more...

Regional Transit Task Force wins leadership award

Monday, January 31, 2011

The Regional Transit Task Force has won the prestigious James R. Ellis Regional Leadership Award from the Municipal League of King County.

"We asked 28 local leaders to set aside arbitrary political divisions and come up with transit recommendations that meet the needs of the entire county, and they exceeded all expectations," said King County Executive Dow Constantine. "That takes real leadership, and I'm pleased to see their hard work and vision recognized by the Municipal League."

The Ellis Award honors individuals and organizations for contributing significant leadership in the examination of regional public policy problems. The Regional Transit Task Force (RTTF) is a 28-member panel representing a broad coalition of transit stakeholders in King County and the Puget Sound region. Last year, the Executive and Metropolitan King County Council tasked the group to identify short-term and long-term objectives for transit service investment, and to formulate a service implementation policy based on those objectives.

The work of the RTTF is expected to form the foundation of a unified regional effort to work with the state Legislature to replace the volatility of the sales taxes that now provide the majority of the funding for public transit with a more long-term, sustainable source of revenue. This revenue source will be needed to avoid deep cuts to Metro Transit service in future years and to plan for future growth of Metro’s bus system – the ninth-largest in the nation – as millions more potential riders move to this region in the coming years.

The RTTF recommendations were accepted by the County Council in December. They are now serving as the foundation for work by a joint Council and Executive staff group to develop a new Metro Transit Strategic Plan that can be transmitted to the King County Council at the end of February.

Members of the task force, including Shoreline Councilmember Chris Eggen, said they were honored by the award, and pleased to see their work recognized.

See previous story.

Read more...

Snow News: Metro - Some buses on snow routes this morning

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Wednesday, January 12
Metro offers transit alerts.  Sign up and they will send text messages to your phone when there is a change to your route.  Their advice to riders today:

"Snow is still making conditions tricky in many parts of King County. Please don't forget to sign up for transit alerts and know the snow route for your bus. Check the status of your bus before you leave this morning, dress warm and be safe out there. Refresh the page often as conditions are changing fast. Road alerts and flood alerts are also available. Get ready and stay ready!"

Read more...

Metro Transit on snow watch for Wednesday

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Bus in snow. Wikimedia Commons.
From Metro Transit, Tuesday afternoon, December 28

With snow showers in the forecast for Wednesday morning, King County Metro Transit is urging bus riders to prepare by making sure they are signed up for Transit Alerts and that they know the snow routing for the buses they will ride tomorrow.

Then before traveling, riders should check the Metro snow website  for the most current status of Metro service. Updates to the online information will begin at 4 a.m. each morning.

Metro is operating with a reduced schedule this week, which means some commuter and school-oriented routes do not operate, and other routes have individual trips canceled. This is indicated by an “H” in the timetables.

Current weather forecasts indicate if snow falls Tuesday night into Wednesday morning in the lower elevations of King County, it should be mostly in the form of snow showers with no significant accumulations. But, the snow could be heavier at higher areas in east King County or if a convergence zone sets up inside the county. Bus operations could change rapidly.

Here are some tips for bus travel if it does snow:

  • Know the snow routing for your bus route. Check the timetables at www.kingcounty.gov/metro for snow route maps for each route. Not every bus route has snow routing, but most do.
  • When buses are on snow routing, some streets and bus stops may be missed and there are often delays due to travel conditions. There is new snow routing in many areas that is different from past years, so be sure to check the snow routes for all the routes you use most often.
  • If you haven’t already, sign up for Transit Alerts to keep up with any major changes to bus service. The alerts can be received as email or text messages. Go to the sign up page  to subscribe.
  • Metro is using a new online color-coded map to keep riders informed of the status of its bus service. All bus routes are assigned into one or more of seven geographic areas within King County. When there is snow or ice on the roads, the service status of each area will be color coded and displayed on an online snow map. Green indicates buses are operating on normal routes; yellow that some – but not all – routes in the area are on snow routes (primarily in higher elevation areas); and red tells you that all bus routes in the entire geographic area are on snow routing.
  • People without online access can call the Customer Information Office at (206) 553-3000. General information about service will also be sent out via the kcmetrobus Twitter account.
  • Be patient. Buses are not always on schedule in snowy or icy conditions. And, increased ridership during bad weather can result in crowded buses and a longer-than-usual wait on the phone for the Customer Information Office.
  • Dress warmly for the walk to the bus stop, expect delays, and wear appropriate footwear for the weather.
  • Head for bus stops on main arterials or at major transfer points such as park-and-ride lots, transit centers, or shopping centers.
  • Riders should wait at bus stops at the very top or very bottom of hills, because buses are often unable to stop for passengers on inclines.

Read more...

Comments on the Regional Transit Task Force by Chris Eggen

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Chris Eggen
As part of his work as a Shoreline City Councilmember, Chris Eggen represents Shoreline on the Regional Transit Task Force.  Here, he provides information on the scope of the committee and the current issues.

The Regional Transit Task Force
by Chris Eggen, Shoreline City Councilmember

Background - Metro Transit
Metro Transit, like all transit systems in the world, requires significant subsidies from taxes. Metro is funded 75% by taxes of one sort or another, and 25% by fares. These proportions are typical of transit in the US. Not only does METRO as a whole not make a profit, but also no METRO route makes a profit. Therefore, although the proportion of public funding could be somewhat reduced by efficiencies, even draconian efficiencies and fare increases would not eliminate it. Thus the reductions in sales tax revenue due to the recession greatly affect the ability of Metro to supply transit. 

Disagreements between Metro and East and South King County Cities
The problems have been made worse by some basic disagreements between Seattle and East and South King County Cities regarding allocation of transit service. The latter issue involves a difference between where taxes supporting METRO Transit are collected (about 1/3 in the East County, 1/3 in the South County, and 1/3 from Seattle and Shoreline) and where the transit is allocated (60% spent in Seattle and Shoreline, 20% in East King County, and 20% in South King County).

In 2002 a compromise policy was established to address the disagreements regarding transit allocation. In this policy, 40% of hours in future growth would be allocated primarily to each of the fast growing East and South King County Regions, and only 20% to Seattle and Shoreline. (This is the 40-40-20 rule.) In return current transit allocations in Seattle and Shoreline would remain unaffected. However, because increases in revenue since then have not greatly exceeded increases in costs, the growth has been minimal and the relative share of spending in the three regions has not greatly changed. This has left the East and South King County Regions frustrated.

Recession forces decrease of transit hours
In the recession of 2008, it was clear that transit hours would have to decrease. The policy was that the decreases would be allocated according to current spending, so 60% of the decrease would come from Seattle and Shoreline, and 20% each from the East and South County regions. The question arose as to whether restoration of hours in the future would be subject to the 40-40-20 rule, or whether the hours cut in the recession would be restored before the 40-40-20 rule would apply. The East and South County Regions strongly favored application of the 40-40-20 rule in restoration, which would effectively cut the total hours in Seattle and Shoreline. Of course Seattle and Shoreline favored restoration of hours cut during the recession before 40-40-20 applied. 

A disagreement of this type might have caused a political crisis in the county that would potentially greatly harm the ability to get support in the Washington State Legislature for measures to address the funding crisis. In my opinion, the regional transit task force was formed primarily to see if some agreement could be reached. I think we should all applaud our King County Executive and Council for this action, since acrimonious regional competition will not help any citizen in King County.

Goals of the Task Force
I was appointed to the regional transit task force when it was formed in March 2010. The primary goal of the task force was to recommend policies for growing or reducing the Metro Transit System should the need arise. Other goals were to recommend any changes to the mission of the METRO Transit System, to recommend strategies to increase the efficiency of METRO, and to recommend a legislative agenda to address funding shortfalls.

Composition of the committee
The task force included representatives from municipal Governments (two each from the Seattle-Shoreline region, and from East and South King County), representatives of transit riders, representatives of disadvantaged communities, representatives for transit advocates, representatives of labor, and representatives from Metro.

Advocating for Shoreline
I advocated for Shoreline’s position, that we should not adopt any policy that shifts hours from Seattle and Shoreline to other parts of the county because transit is most efficient in urban areas, because in urban areas automobile transportation is inherently problematic due to limited road capacity and parking, and because many residents of Seattle and even of Shoreline have intentionally adopted a lifestyle that does not involve use of an automobile for routine commuting, and to significantly reduce transit would have a huge impact on these residents. However, I also emphasized that the anger at the inequity between the taxes that people in the South and East King County were assessed and the amount of transit they got was real and needed to be addressed in some way.

In the end the RTTF is recommending a policy that is consistent with the position outlined above, and has many other virtues. First, the main principle used to determine transit allocation is efficiency. METRO will focus on serving areas that support transit, and Shoreline is one of those areas. However, a secondary principles is to maintain service to all areas of the county consistent with the needs of those areas, so we will maintain service to cities such as Bellevue, Issaquah, Kent, Auburn consistent with residents mobility needs and the economic needs of the county. Another secondary principle is to maintain accessible service to transit dependent populations.

Recommendations for transit planning
Just as important as the principles is the way the RTTF recommended transit planning be done. In the next few months, Metro will develop guidelines for transit allocation to implement the three principles. The Regional Transportation Committee will vet these guidelines with a lot of opportunity for public input before approval by the King County Council. In addition, our local transportation forum, SeaShore, will be making recommendations and will also be accepting public comment. These guidelines are extremely important since they will determine the details of the transportation system that comes out of the process.

Another important recommendation from the RTTF to Metro is a number of strategies to find efficiencies. For example, METRO is now testing scheduling changes (for current routes only) that should help us get more from each transit tax dollar. However, there is some concern that they will not allow adequate intervals between end of route and beginning of the next to keep busses on schedule.

Funding strategies to grow Metro
A final important recommendation is to consider funding strategies to grow Metro. The first step would be legislative action to allow King County to raise more taxes for transit. The next would be a public vote on any proposed tax increase. Such an effort will not happen for several years. However, as cost of gas and the number of cars on the road increases we need to provide a better public transportation system. A dream of mine is to have an easily accessible, energy efficient ride from Shoreline to wherever someone needs to work or attend school, be it Bellevue, Kirkland, Auburn, or Everett, without the aggravation of fighting traffic or finding a parking spot.

Read more...
ShorelineAreaNews.com
Facebook: Shoreline Area News
Twitter: @ShorelineArea
Daily Email edition (don't forget to respond to the Follow.it email)

  © Blogger template The Professional Template II by Ourblogtemplates.com 2009

Back to TOP