Showing posts with label transportation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transportation. Show all posts

Ferry system continues to receive funds from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

Saturday, December 9, 2023

Issaquah-class ferry passenger areas to be refurbished with federal funding
Photo courtesy WSDOT

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration recently awarded us with $4.8 million to revamp the passenger areas of our six Issaquah-class vessels. 

Cathlamet, Chelan, Issaquah, Kitsap, Kittitas, and Sealth were built from 1979 through 1982. 

The funding will extend the useful life of the aging boats for another five to ten years while new ferries are built. 

Last week, the FTA announced 13 grants totaling more than $220 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to ferry systems across the country. 

WSDOT received more than $50 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act over the past two years.


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WSDOT issues Request for Information to shipbuilding industry for hybrid-electric ferries

Thursday, December 7, 2023

Olympic class ferry design sketch
Courtesy WSDOT
Washington State Ferries announced that they have issued a Request for Information yesterday to the shipbuilding industry across the country as part of our effort to contract for five hybrid-electric Olympic-class ferries. 

Responses are due in January and will provide critical information for the Invitation for Bid that will be issued in spring 2024. 

Earlier this year, the Legislature passed a new law that allows us to solicit bids nationwide when building new boats. 




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Minor flooding at Edmonds ferry terminal

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Photo courtesy WSDOT

Heavy rain is causing some minor flooding at our
#Edmonds terminal. Please use extra caution while travelling through the area. Stay alert and safe around crews as they address the situation.


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Scene on the Sound: We love our ferries

Sunday, December 3, 2023

 
Photo by Jan Hansen

It wonderful to see the ferries passing today. So many are looking forward to this service continuing. 

The Edmonds-Kingston ferry route was restored to two-boat service Friday morning, but it’s only set to last through the weekend.

--Jan Hansen

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Public invited to comment on Washington’s 2024-2027 program of multimodal transportation projects

Saturday, December 2, 2023


OLYMPIA – A compilation of prioritized transportation improvement projects is now ready for public review and comment through Tuesday, December 19, 2023.

More than 1,200 statewide transportation improvement projects using $3.8 billion in federal funds are included in the 2024-2027 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, or STIP for short. 

The draft 2024-2027 STIP is a four-year program of multimodal transportation projects identified through state, metropolitan, regional, tribal and local agency planning processes.

Projects identified as using Federal Highway Administration or Federal Transit Administration funds must be included in the STIP to authorize the expenditure of federal funds. Also included are regionally significant projects funded through the Washington State Legislature’s Connecting Washington and Move Ahead Washington transportation packages.

The comment period for the STIP is the final step of the community engagement process that began locally during development of individual transportation improvement programs. The Washington State Department of Transportation will accept comments until 5pm Tuesday, December 19. Any comments received by WSDOT will be sent to the local agency or metropolitan or regional planning organization for consideration.

About the STIP

The STIP is a four-year, fiscally constrained, prioritized multimodal transportation program of state, local, tribal, and public transportation transit projects. It includes highways, streets, roads, railroads, transit-hubs, park-and-ride lots, bridges, sidewalks, bike lanes, ferry terminals, trails, and safety projects. The STIP is a calendar-year document and is developed on an annual basis with monthly updates from January through October.

The collaborative effort between WSDOT, local agencies and metropolitan and regional planning organizations ensures projects are consistent with local, regional, and state long-range plans. Some county projects are not included in the draft STIP because state law requires counties to complete their transportation improvement programs by the end of the year; those projects are amended into the final STIP in January.

The current 2023-26 STIP can be viewed online and a similar, searchable database of the 2024-27 STIP will be created in January 2024, following FHWA and FTA approval.

How to comment

Written comments can be sent to: Nancy Huntley or Steve Ahlsten, WSDOT, P.O. Box 47390, Olympia WA 98504-7390, or emailed to: Hqlpstip@wsdot.wa.gov . Comments must be received by 5pm, Tuesday, December 19, 2023.


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Three Jumbo ferries to be converted to hybrid-electric power

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Jumbo Mark II-class ferries to be converted to hybrid-electric

Work has begun on the first of three ferries, the Wenatchee, to convert it to hybrid-electric power.

A $100 million contract was awarded to Vigor Marine who will conduct the work to convert the vessels at its Harbor Island shipyard in Seattle.

The $100 million contract covers the conversion of two Jumbo Mark II-class ferries to hybrid-electric power, with a fixed-price option of $50 million to convert the third vessel in 2025. The contract also includes planned replacement of the propulsion control systems, which will increase reliability and the lifespan of the three ferries.

Vigor Marine will modernize the ship’s controls and other outdated systems. These updates will improve reliability and help ensure these 22-year-old ferries serve our communities for decades longer.

The Jumbo Mark II vessels are the largest in WSF’s fleet and produce 26% of WSF’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions. They also serve the most densely populated urban areas in Central Sound.

Vigor Marine has started work on Wenatchee, expected to reenter service next summer. Vigor will also begin converting Tacoma in 2024, with the option to convert Puyallup in 2025.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced that $44.6 million (15.4%) of the $290 million project cost of converting three Washington State Ferries to hybrid-electric propulsion systems will be covered by federal funding that has already been awarded.

“This announcement charts a course for our ferry system to be cleaner, more sustainable, and more reliable, using the world-class labor of Washington’s shipbuilders,” said Sen. Cantwell. 
“Converting the fleet’s three biggest emitters from diesel to hybrid-electric power will drastically reduce emissions and fueling costs. Federal funding to improve our nation's transportation system and fight climate change made this milestone possible, covering a portion of the cost of modernizing these iconic ferries.”

Federal funding for the entire $290 million project is an estimated $44.6 million, 15.4% of the total cost.



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Port of Edmonds reconfigures parking lot after ADA complaint to Department of Justice

Sunday, July 2, 2023

The U.S. Department of Justice and the Port of Edmonds, Washington resolved a complaint that the Port violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when it altered the parking lot at the Port marina and failed to provide appropriate accessible parking spaces. 


As part of the settlement, the Port of Edmonds will pay a complainant $3,522 for discrimination and inability to use the marina.

“This resolution is a good reminder that federal law requires full and equitable access. It is not enough to simply designate a parking space with a blue accessible parking marker—that space must also have special characteristics that will allow those with mobility issues to enjoy full access.” 

“Once our office became involved, the Port of Edmonds quickly reconfigured their spaces with appropriate space and access aisles so that the spaces were usable by those using assistive devices such as walkers or wheelchairs.”
Port of Edmonds from Google

According to the settlement agreement, in February 2021, the Port of Edmonds reconfigured its parking lot and constructed a dumpster area where accessible parking had been. Soon after the work, the complainant notified the Port of Edmonds that the new configuration violated the ADA. Nevertheless, the Port did not make any changes.

On August 12, 2021, a representative of the U.S. Attorney’s Office viewed the North and South parking areas at the marina. The review found multiple violations of the ADA including a lack of aisle space next to the accessible parking spaces, and no designated van accessible parking spaces. The U.S. Attorney’s Office concluded the parking area did not comply with the ADA.

After receiving notice of non-compliance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Port of Edmonds quickly made changes. By August 31, 2021, the Port reconfigured its parking areas to include accessible spaces with access aisles and designated van accessible areas. The accessible parking spaces were moved to shorten the distance to Port facilities.

The Port agreed to designate an ADA coordinator, and place signs throughout its facilities identifying the ADA coordinator and how he or she can be contacted. The coordinator will be responsible for investigating any complaints regarding discrimination against individuals with disabilities.

The Port will pay the complainant who could not use Port facilities $3,522 and agrees in the settlement not to retaliate in any way against anyone who brings a complaint regarding ADA access.

The Port of Edmonds will certify its compliance with the ADA to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will monitor compliance for two years following the settlement. If no further issues arrive, the matter will be closed.

The matter was investigated and resolved by former Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Morehead and subsequently by Assistant United States Attorney Heather Costanzo.


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Cantwell, Murray announce $33.5 Million for Clean Energy Bus Grants to King county Metro Transit

Thursday, June 29, 2023

King County has been transitioning the Metro fleet to all-electric, a few buses at a time as they receive funding. 2022 Photo of Rod Dembowski with electric buses.
Photo courtesy King County.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Patty Murray (D-WA) Chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, announced $59,027,499 in clean-energy-related grants for transit authorities in King, Skagit, Island, Grays Harbor, Grant, and Whatcom Counties.

The funding comes from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Grants for Buses and Bus Facilities and Low and No-Emission (Low-No) Vehicle programs. The Cantwell-Murray supported Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provides over $7.5 billion for these competitive grant programs through Fiscal Year 2026.

“These smart investments in bus facilities and low or no emissions buses across the State of Washington will provide cleaner and more reliable transportation services,” said Sen. Cantwell. “It’s important that we invest in clean transit services to help reduce traffic, keep residents moving to where they need to go, and make progress towards our climate goals.“

Senator Murray said:
“Investing in clean buses and other low- and no-emissions transportation options means cleaner air for families, communities, and our planet—not to mention cost savings for local transit agencies.”

“The federal dollars I fought to secure for these grant programs in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is already helping our nation take big steps forward in shifting towards a clean energy economy, which benefits everyone. This is going to make a real difference in lowering costs and creating jobs.”

King County Metro Transit – $33.5 million

King County Metro Transit received $33,552,634 in Low-No Vehicle grants. The funding will be used to buy battery-electric buses to replace 30 old hybrid-diesel buses, purchase charging equipment, and train workers to maintain the new electric fleet. 

The new battery-electric fleet will serve 27 bus routes that run in low-income areas and will expand the King County Metro apprenticeship program and promote transit careers for residents in underserved communities.

“As the nation’s seventh largest bus transit agency, King County Metro plays a critical role in providing clean, safe, and reliable transportation to a growing, diversifying population,” said Sen. Cantwell. 
“This grant will help accelerate King County Metro’s 2035 goal of operating a 100% zero-emission fleet by replacing 30 old hybrid-diesel buses with 30 new battery electric buses."

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King County Metro announces temporary service reductions

Saturday, May 13, 2023

On Thursday, May 11, 2023 King County Metro announced temporary service reductions that will go into effect at the Fall Service Change, on September 2, 2023.

The primary reasons are a shortage of drivers and a maintenance backlog.

According to Metro:

These temporary reductions will match our schedule to what we are currently able to operate on a daily basis. 

This will mean a more reliable schedule for riders, instead of the daily cancellation of approximately 5% of our scheduled service.

In addition to customer impacts, Metro’s current schedule is not sustainable for its workforce. We are relying on many employees working overtime and high stress levels for our workforce that maintain vehicles and communicate these daily cancellations to customers.

While this is a challenging decision that we do not take lightly, it is fully informed by our conversations and engagement with communities, customers and our employees. In making these difficult decisions, Metro centered the following factors:

  • Maintaining overall service coverage across the county
  • Minimizing impact on routes with high Equity Opportunity scores
  • Minimizing impact on high-ridership routes
  • Minimizing impacts to students
  • Maintaining the frequent all-day network
  • Maintaining length of operating hours (span of service)
  • Minimizing/eliminating potential for crowding resulting from reductions
  • Operational factors

Based on these criteria, the Fall 2023 schedule includes
  • temporary service reductions to 12 routes (Routes 7, 10, 20, 28, 36, 73, 79, 225, 230, 231, 255, 345), 
  • temporary suspensions to 20 routes (Routes 15, 16, 18, 29, 55, 64, 114, 121, 167, 190, 214, 216, 217, 232, 237, 268, 301, 304, 320 and 342). 
  • Weekend reductions are limited to three routes (20, 28 and 73).

Many of these routes were selected because other transit service exists nearby, and 99% of boardings on fully suspended routes are at stops where other service will be available within one-quarter mile.

Seattle/Shoreline

Route 16 (suspended)
  • Along Greenwood Avenue N and/or Phinney Avenue N, use Route 5 to/from downtown Seattle.
Route 64 (suspended)
  • Between Lake City and Roosevelt, use Route 322 or Route ST 522
  • Along 35th Avenue NE, use Route 65
  • Along NE 65th Street, use Route 62
  • Parking is available at Green Lake Park and Ride
  • Between Roosevelt or University of Washington Stations and South Lake Union, use Link to connect with Route 8 at Capitol Hill Station
  • Between U District Station and South Lake Union, use Route 70
Route 301 (suspended)
  • Between Shoreline and Northgate, use Routes 346 or 348
  • Parking is available at Aurora Village Transit Center and Shoreline Park and Ride
Route 304 (suspended)
  • Between Shoreline and Northgate, use Routes 331, 345 or 348
  • Parking is available at Shoreline Park and Ride
Route 320 (suspended)
  • Between Lake City and Northgate, use Route 20
  • Between Kenmore, Bothell, Lake Forest Park and Lake City, use Route 372 or Route ST 522
  • Between Northgate and South Lake Union, use Link to connect with Route 8 at Capitol Hill Station or with Route 70 at U District Station.
  • Parking is available at Northgate Station

These temporary service reductions now will allow Metro’s workforce to better prepare for future service expansion by allowing Vehicle Maintenance to reduce maintenance backlogs, permit time for improvements in hiring and training processes to move forward, and reduce current pressures on workforce that could impact employee retention.

Additionally, we are continuing with our major community-focused Mobility Projects and planning our future Service Recovery community engagement work. These projects ensure communities throughout King County have the option to participate in developing our future transit service.

In the months leading up to September, Metro will continue to deliver the highest percentage of trips possible. We will use our Metro Matters blog and other channels, such as email, text and social media, to inform customers about service for the coming week as well as any day-to-day impacts.

Here is a link to the Metro Matters Blog post on the September service reductions

The Seattle Times published an article on the topic

County Councilmember Rod Dembowski called the reductions painful but needed, to get Metro on a reliable footing before more changes hit in 2024 to sculpt bus lines around Sound Transit’s new Northgate-to-Lynnwood train extension.

“We’ve received too many concerns from riders who are out waiting for a bus that doesn’t come,” he said.

A slow supply chain hinders local service, said Dembowski, who chairs the council committee overseeing transportation. “It takes nine months to get a radiator. The pandemic really shook the system, and I think we tried to come back too quickly.”


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Trailhead Direct resumes Transit to Trails service on Saturday May 13, 2023

Sunday, May 7, 2023

King County’s Trailhead Direct, the weekends and holidays transit-to-trails service, will begin its fifth season on Saturday, May 13, 2023 and run through Labor Day, Monday, September 4. 

Metro and King County Parks, with the support of the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Amazon, are working together to provide funding for the 2023 season.

This summer, Trailhead Direct continues to focus the transit-to-trails service on the most popular route with stops at trailheads near Mount Si, Mount Teneriffe, and Little Si. 

Riders can take the bus, Sound Transit Link light rail, or bike to get to the Sound Transit Capitol Hill Link station, where Trailhead Direct coaches will depart every 30 minutes. 

The 2023 season will include service on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.

"Trailhead Direct is a convenient alternative to driving and parking when you want to explore some of the best hiking King County has to offer," said Executive Constantine. 
"I am looking forward to the start of this season's transit-to-trails service, and thank the Seattle Department of Transportation and Amazon for their partnership in this low-impact way to connect people to the great outdoors."

Trailhead Direct will operate with 14- to 32-seat vehicles and will have a rack for either two or three bikes. Passengers can use Metro’s Trip Planner to get more details about transit stops, routes, and schedules. Metro’s standard fares apply, and riders can pay with an ORCA card, Transit Go Mobile ticket, or cash with exact change. Hikers 18 and younger ride Trailhead Direct for free.


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Free Metro pass for Seattle / King County clinic at Seattle Center Friday - Sunday

Friday, April 28, 2023

Do you need a ride to the Seattle/King County Clinic

The event started Thursday, April 27, and runs through Sunday, April 30, 2023.

Get a FREE King County Metro Transit day-pass to get to and from the Seattle/King County Clinic

*Please note that this ticket is not valid on Sound Transit LINK or express bus service.



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Ending: WA Notify app for COVID-19 and 511 for traffic alerts

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Going away May 11, 2023
On May 11, 2023 the state will end the WA Notify program which allowed subscribers to both enter information about their own positive COVID cases and be notified if they had potentially been exposed.

Since its launch in Nov. 2020, approximately 235,000 participants confirmed a positive test result in WA Notify, generating more than 2.5 million anonymous exposure notifications, preventing tens of thousands of COVID-19 cases, and saving lives. 

Washington was one of the first states to implement exposure notification technology and consistently had one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates in the country, despite also being host to the earliest known domestic case of the virus.
The State Dept of Health (DOH) says that "As the Public Health Emergency ends, high levels of vaccination, combined with widespread population immunity and available treatments, have significantly reduced the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, or death from COVID-19. These factors have also contributed to the reduced need for the WA Notify application."

Going away on May 19, 2023
Another notification program ending soon is 511
 

Starting Friday, May 19, Washington state travelers will no longer be able to access automated statewide travel information by calling 511.

For the past 20 years, the 511 phone number has provided a way to receive traffic impacts, crash alerts, current and future weather forecasts, mountain pass conditions and ferry information (schedules, fares and wait times) as well as reversible-express lane status.

So, why is 511 going away? Simply put, new technology has led to a dramatic decrease in the number of people using the service.

The 511 phone system is also expensive to operate, costing more than $150,000 a year in hard costs and requiring many staff hours to continually update travel information in the increasingly antiquated technology and to maintain signs about the program.

There are other ways to get travel information

If you don’t have internet or smart phone access

Contact WSDOT at the numbers below (you may also want to program some of these numbers into your phone or otherwise save them for easy reference):

  • Washington State Ferries’ information phone number 888-808-7977
  • Tolling information (Good To Go!) 866-936-8246
  • Amtrak Cascades 800-872-7245
  • Neighboring states 511 information
  • Oregon 503-588-2941
  • Idaho 888-432-7623
  • Local weather
  • Seattle 206-526-6087
  • Spokane 509-244-5992
  • Our Offices


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FERRIES: Vehicle reservations for summer season available 7am Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Monday, April 17, 2023

San Juan ferry photo courtesy WSDOT
Vehicle reservations
for our summer season, June 18 to Sept. 23, 2023 on our Anacortes / San Juan Islands and Port Townsend / Coupeville routes will be available at 7am Tuesday, April 25. 

For our Anacortes / San Juan Islands runs, another batch of reservations will be released two weeks before each specific sailing. 

The remaining space on each sailing will be available two days before.


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Vehicle reservations for San Juan and Port Townsend runs available Monday March 6, 2023

Saturday, February 25, 2023

Photo courtesy WSDOT
Vehicle reservations for the spring season (March 26 to June 17) on the Anacortes / San Juan Islands and Port Townsend / Coupeville ferry routes will be available at 7am.Monday, March 6, 2023.

For the Anacortes/San Juan Islands runs, another batch of reservations will be released two weeks before each specific sailing. The remaining space on each sailing will be available two days before the specific voyage.

For more details, or to make a reservation, visit the Washington State Ferries reservations home page.

The spring schedule vehicle reservations release was originally scheduled for January 26 but was pushed back due to an IT issue with those making bulk reservations.



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Upcoming 60% design engagement for Stride S3 Line bus

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Expect changes to Route 522
and to Bothell Way
From Sound Transit

We released the Stride S3 Line 60% draft design plans for Seattle, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park and Kenmore in November 2022. 

(Stride S3 is the bus rapid transit line from Woodinville to the Sound Transit stations on the Lynnwood Link.)

Since then, we have continued to advance the designs. Later this spring, an online open house will be available to learn more about the 60% designs for the Stride S3 Line as well as the S1 Line and S2 Line. 

Information about partner agency projects will also be available.

The project team will host drop-in sessions in Shoreline, Lake Forest Park and Kenmore where the public can speak with subject matter experts and learn more about design refinements. 

Look for another project update soon with additional details on the online open house and drop-in sessions.



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King County Metro’s Lynnwood Link connections

Photo courtesy Metro Transit
King County Metro has begun outreach to help determine updated bus routes when Link light rail extends to Lynnwood. 

In addition to the new light rail stations, the current ST Express 522 route may be changed to match the planned Stride service between Bothell and Shoreline as early as 2024 or 2025.

The Lynnwood Link Connections mobility project will address changing transit needs and improve mobility options for communities in northwest King County and southwest Snohomish County. 

Metro is collaborating with Sound Transit and Community Transit, among other partners, to coordinate bus routes based on feedback from communities.

Collected feedback will help shape how bus riders transfer to Link light rail in Mountlake Terrace, Shoreline and North Seattle. 

Metro is accepting feedback through March 10.




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Edmonds - Kingston run goes to 1-boat service after prop bent by underwater log

Friday, January 20, 2023

Bent propeller blade on ferry Puyallup
Photo courtesy WS Ferries
One of the 12 foot long propeller blades on the ferry Puyallup was bent badly last week after it likely hit an underwater log.

According to Richmond Beach resident and Shoreline Area News contributor John Slomnicki, "Last week, the water between Richmond Beach and Kingston was a Sargasso Sea of floating logs from recent King Tides."

The vessel is docked at Kingston for repairs, which are expected to take a week or two. Until fixed, the Edmonds route will remain on 1-boat service as they have no spare boats to fill in.



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Amtrak to add second round-trip to Vancouver BC by March 7

Saturday, January 14, 2023

Amtrak to increase service to Vancouver, B.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Amtrak announced in a letter to the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Oregon Department of Transportation that the company will add a second round-trip to Vancouver, B.C. beginning March 7, restoring full service on the Cascades line to pre-pandemic levels.

In the letter, Amtrak also stated that it will increase the number of daily trips between Seattle and Portland from four to six beginning in fall 2023.

“I’m thankful that Amtrak is finally on the path to fully restore service in the Pacific Northwest. I-5 corridor in the State of Washington is one of the most congested corridors in the nation and the Cascades service provides a convenient alternative to travelers. I will work to make sure Amtrak meets its commitment to restore additional service to Vancouver B.C. by March 7th and add two trips this fall,” said U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), who serves as Chair of the Senate Committee of Commerce, Science and Transportation.

Pre-pandemic, more than 750,000 annual riders utilized the route connecting the State of Washington, Oregon and British Columbia – a critical connector for the region’s businesses and travelers. The route from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. was suspended altogether in May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In May 2022, as the country recovered from the pandemic, Sen. Cantwell spoke with Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner and urged him to restore service between the State of Washington and Vancouver B.C.

Amtrak restored one of the two round-trips in September 2022. Shortly after, Sen. Cantwell pressed the nominees for Director of the Amtrak Board of Directors in a committee hearing on how they planned to restore full service.

Throughout the pandemic, Sen. Cantwell was a champion of the nation’s freight network. Due to her leadership, the bipartisan infrastructure bill provides $66 billion for rail grants she authorized as Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, including $22 billion for Amtrak. 

Currently, USDOT is accepting applications for the Federal-State Partnership Passenger Rail grant program which can be used to improve the Cascades service or build a new rail route in Washington state. The applications are due on March 7, 2023.



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Help Shape the Future of Transit in Lake Forest Park

Friday, January 13, 2023

When Lynnwood Link opens in 2024 bus routes in your neighborhood will look different. 

Help King County Metro create routes that work for you! 

Your feedback is needed on route locations, how often buses run, and more. Find project details and the survey here.

Review the proposed bus routes and let Metro know what you think; the survey is open now through March 10. Visit the Lynnwood Link Connections webpage to learn more.

In addition to the survey, Metro is hosing three virtual open houses:
  • Tuesday, January 24 from 12:00 - 1:30pm (register here)
  • Saturday, February 4 from 10:00 - 11:30am (register here)
  • Monday, February 27 from 6:00 – 7:30pm (register here)


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Metro proposes bus route changes to serve light rail stations - take the survey

Wednesday, January 11, 2023

Detail from map of proposed bus routes from Metro

As Sound Transit extends Link light rail north to five new stations in coming years, King County Metro is working to improve public transportation for communities in northwest King County and southwest Snohomish County.

Working in collaboration with Sound Transit, Community Transit, and other partners, Metro is developing potential bus route improvements to meet residents’ priority transportation needs as new light rail stations open in 2024.

“With Link light rail’s five new stations under construction from Northgate to Lynnwood, we’re delivering on our vision to build a world-class regional transit network connecting millions more people with reliable, carbon-free transportation,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine, who also serves as Sound Transit Board Chair. 
“The mobility needs of our communities are a top priority and have shaped the initial planning. Now, we are seeking public guidance to ensure the voices of our riders are heard as we expand and improve Metro bus service to connect to our newest light rail stations.”

We invite you to learn more and take our survey on these proposed bus routes by March 10.

What we’ve heard so far

When we surveyed the communities around the coming north King and South Snohomish County stations in 2022, we heard it’s currently difficult to travel east-west across this area, and improving these options is important. People also told us they value more all-day bus service instead of peak-only service, and that longer travel time is a barrier to more transit usage.

Other community priorities included
  • Transferring between modes should be convenient, accessible and reliable.
  • Night owl service is important for those traveling later in the evening.
  • There are destinations and neighborhoods in the area that don’t currently have transit service.
Our proposed bus route changes

Based on what we heard from the public and our partners in our first round of engagement, we are proposing bus route changes to
  • Create new east-west connections to light rail and community destinations.
  • Provide more all-day service instead of peak-only service.
  • Add additional service on nights and weekends.

These proposed route changes incorporate feedback from our first survey, conversations with community-based organizations, and in-depth review and input from our community board and key partners, including other transit agencies.

Visit our Lynnwood Link project page to review each route in detail.

We’ll use your feedback on these potential routes to create a final bus service proposal for community review later this year.



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