King County says its transit-to-trails shuttle service to help hikers access popular trailheads and avoid the fight over limited parking, was a success. The Trailhead Direct pilot program drove hikers more than 20,000 times during its inaugural summer.
The shuttle ran on weekends and holidays between April and October, transporting hikers from Mount Baker Transit Center to Issaquah Alps, Capitol Hill Link light rail station to Mount Si, or a satellite parking lot in North Bend to Mailbox Peak.
When service began in April, the first shuttle route brought passengers to multiple trailheads in the Issaquah Alps. One month later, the second route to Mount Si was added.
Trailhead Direct recorded 8,526 trips to the Issaquah Alps, 8,197 trips to Mount Si, and 3,156 to Mailbox Peak. 20,373 total trips were completed by the last weekend in October.
“The success of Trailhead Direct is an excellent example of how we are creating a customer-focused transit system that does more than provide reliable weekday commutes," said King County Executive Dow Constantine.
Trailhead Direct runs every 30 minutes and costs riders the price of a bus ticket: $2.75. ORCA cards, Transit Go Mobile ticket, or cash are accepted.
The transit-to-trails program is a two-year pilot program co-led by King County Metro and King County Parks.
