SEATTLE — King County Metro announced Thursday it plans to suspend 20 routes and reduce the frequency of others starting in September.
The agency said in a release that it focused on revising 20 routes with "low ridership." Starting Sept. 2, the suspended metro routes will be 15, 16, 18, 29, 55, 64, 114, 121, 167, 190, 214, 216, 217, 232, 237, 268, 301, 304, 320 and 342. Each route has alternatives, with most being available at the same bus stop or a nearby one, King County Metro said.
“We designed the September service change guided by our customers,” said Michelle Allison, King County Metro general manager. "These adjustments mean riders will know their trip will be there. This approach also better positions Metro to grow our transit network in future years."
King County Metro is reducing the following routes to operate less frequently: 7, 10, 20, 28, 36, 73, 79, 225, 230, 231, 255 and 345. Some routes, such as 7 and 36, will continue having frequent service, while other routes with less ridership will transition to service every 30-60 minutes during some time periods.
"They are closing bus zones down, so you have to walk farther to your bus. You also have to make more connections, a 60-minute service, that's going to change lives. That's going to put people in their cars,” said Ken Price, President of ATU Local 587.
Price adds that a key issue is workers are finding higher wages in neighboring counties.
“When they’re making more money at another location, they’re not coming back,” said Price.
Here are some bus route alternatives for the planned suspended routes in September:
Seattle/Shoreline
- Route 15 (suspended): Alternate route RapidRide D Line
- Route 16 (suspended): Alternate Route 5
- Route 18 (suspended): Alternate Route 40
- Route 29 (suspended): alternate routes 1, 2, 3, 4, 13, 31, 32, 40, RapidRide D Line and Seattle Monorail.
- Route 55 (suspended): Alternate routes 56, 57, or Route 775 to connect with the West Seattle Water Taxi, RapidRide C Line, Route 21
- Route 64 (suspended): Routes 62, 65, 322, ST Express 522, Link and Route 8 at Capitol Hill Station or Route 70 at U District Station
- Route 301 (suspended): Alternate routes 346 and 348
- Route 304 (suspended): Alternate routes 331, 345 and 348
- Route 320 (suspended): Alternate routes 20, 372, ST Express 522, Link and Route 8 at Capitol Hill Station or with Route 70 at U District Station.
East King County
- Route 214 (suspended): Alternate route ST Express Route 554
- Route 216 (suspended): Alternate routes 218, 269, ST Express routes 545, 550 and 554, Metro Flex in Sammamish.
- Route 217 (suspended): Alternate routes 269 and ST Express Route 554.
- Route 232 (suspended): Alternate routes 224 and RapidRide B Line.
- Route 237 (suspended): Alternate routes 231, 250, 311, ST Express routes 522, 532 and 535.
- Route 268 (suspended): Alternate route 269 and ST Express Route 545.
- Route 342 (suspended): Alternate routes 245, 250, 331, ST Express routes 535, 560, 566
South King County
- Route 114 (suspended): Alternate routes 105 or 240 and transfer to/from Route 101; Route 240 to/from ST Express Routes 550 and 554.
- Route 121 (suspended): Alternate routes RapidRide H Line, Routes 113, 131 and 132.
- Route 167 (suspended): Alternate routes 101 or 102 to Link light rail, routes 255 or ST Express Route 542.
- Route 190 (suspended): Alternate routes RapidRide A Line to Link light rail at Angle Lake Station, routes 150, 162, 165, 183 and Sounder.
King County Metro said routes protected from significant changes served a higher percentage of riders who have lower incomes or identify as Black, Indigenous and other communities of color. The adjusted scheduled and suspended routes will deliver the same number of transit trips currently operating the road "without the day-to-day variability that has inconvenienced riders during the past several months."
The September changes are estimated to affect 150,000 service hours, which accounts for nearly 4% of King County Metro's annual service hours.
The agency said it worked to protect several categories of service, including routes that have high ridership demand and where there were few alternate transit options.
“Reducing service to make our transit schedule more accurate is neither a rest nor a retreat," Allison said. “We’re engaged in full-scale business transformation across recruiting, training, retention, fleet maintenance and agency-wide innovation. Metro is working harder than ever to deliver your service every day, to strengthen and improve our agency, and to grow transit region-wide.”
In light of the changes, King County Metro said the majority of its routes – 124 of 156 – will be preserved and remain the same. The unaffected routes account for 1.21 million of King County Metro's 1.38 million weekly boardings, according to the release.
The transit agency is planning to carry 95% of its service until the changes are instated in September.