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KING COUNTY, Wash. - King County Metro is expanding its bus services with nine new routes, thousands of additional weekly bus trips and improved Link Light Rail connections in South King County.
Executive Girmay Zahilay announced Tuesday that Metro will be expanding its bus services beginning Aug. 29, and will also launch Metro Flex, an on-demand transit service in Auburn and Federal Way, starting Aug. 31.
What we know:
Metro is increasing its frequency and expanding bus services with more late-night, early morning and weekend trips.
"Frequent all-day service makes Metro buses an irresistibly good way to get around Seattle and helps make living without a car a more realistic and affordable option," said Seattle Mayor Katie B. Wilson, in a release. "This service boost is made possible by the current Seattle Transit Measure which pays for 180,000 bus trips a year. We’re also continuing to build targeted construction projects to reduce transit delays, including the new Denny Way bus lanes opening this month."
Metro Flex – an on-demand transit service and ride app – is also expanding to South King County starting August 31. Riders can now book rides in Auburn and Federal Way, using the Metro Flex app.
As a result of the service changes and expansions, some bus routes will be altered, extended, replaced or deleted.
Keep reading for the full list of new and affected routes.
By the numbers:
Nine new routes: Routes 72, 77, 121, 164, 166, 215, 220, 270 and 902.
More frequent service on 13 routes: 8, 75, 111, 156, 168, 181, 182, 183, 187, 218, 269, 903 and RapidRide A Line.
Expanded service hours on 10 routes: 111, 156, 181, 182, 183, 187, 218, 269, 631 and 903.
New weekend service on four routes: 111, 183, 269 and 631.
More daily trips: 441 additional trips each weekday, 400 on Saturdays and 507 on Sundays.
Total daily trips: 12,406 weekday trips, 9,117 Saturday trips and 8,813 Sunday trips.
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New Metro Bus Routes
Nine new Metro Bus routes will begin running starting Aug. 29, and will operate until March 2027.
Route 72: Connects Shoreline South Station and the UW Seattle campus.
Route 77: An east-west route connecting U-District, Laurelhurst, Pinehurst, and Bitter Lake. Connects to Link light rail at Pinehurst, Roosevelt, and U-District stations.
Route 121: Partial restoration with new morning and evening peak trips between Burien and Downtown Seattle.
Route 164: Frequent service connecting Des Moines, Kent, and Auburn.
Route 166: Peak-frequent service connecting Burien and Kent Des Moines Station.
Route 215: All-week connection between North Bend, Snoqualmie, Issaquah, Eastgate and Mercer Island.
Route 220: Will provide service between Eastgate, Bellevue College, and downtown Bellevue.
Route 270: Will provide service between downtown Bellevue, Evergreen Point Station and U-District.
DART Route 902: Dial-a-Ride Transit (DART) route serving Federal Way and Twin Lakes.
Replaced or Deleted Metro Bus Routes
The following routes have been deleted or replaced, effective Aug. 29 through March 2027.
Route 162: Deleted; riders may use Sounder S Line or Routes 150 and 168.
Route 165: Replaced by new Routes 164 and 166.
Route 177: Deleted; riders may use Routes 182, Sound Transit Route 577 or 578, DART Route 903 or Sound Transit Link 1 Line.
Route 208: Replaced by new Route 215 for service between North Bend and Issaquah Highlands, and Sound Transit Route 556 for service between Issaquah Highlands and Issaquah Transit Center.
Route 212: Deleted; riders may use Sound Transit Link 2 Line and Routes 215, 218, 226, 269 or Sound Transit Route 556.
Route 271: Replaced by new Routes 220 and 270.
Route 372: Replaced by new Route 72 and revised Sound Transit Express Route 522.
DART Route 901 & Federal Way DART: Replaced by new DART Route 902.
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Expanded or Revised Services
RapidRide A Line: Increased overnight frequency to every 30 minutes.
RapidRide E Line: This line will be revised to end at 4th Avenue and South Washington Street in Downtown Seattle.
Route 8: Increased frequency in downtown Seattle via new Denny Way bus lanes.
Route 62: Revised to end at South Washington Street and 3rd Avenue South in Downtown Seattle.
Route 65: Revised pathway along NE 150th and 155th Streets for better access to Shorecrest High School.
Route 75 and 77: Increased service frequency.
Route 111: Revised to connect to Sound Transit Link light rail 2 Line at South Bellevue Station; expanded to all-day, all-week service with earlier mornings, later evenings, and new weekend service.
Route 156: Added trips for higher frequency and earlier weekend start times.
Route 168: Added weekday peak-service trips to reach 15-minute frequency.
Route 181: Increased weekday frequency and extended operating hours to midnight.
Route 182: Expanded weekday and weekend service with improved connection to Route 187.
Route 183: Extended Saturday operating hours and added new Sunday service.
Route 187: Added earlier and later trips, increased total trip count, and added two-way service on Hoyt Rd SW.
Route 218: Revised to connect to Sound Transit Link light rail 2 Line at South Bellevue or Mercer Island stations with increased frequency.
Route 240: to Renton will move from Bay 1 to Bay 9 at Bellevue Transit Center.
Route 249: will be revised to serve Medina, Hunts Point and Clyde Hill instead of using Bellevue Way.
Route 256: Will be adjusted along 2nd Avenue and 4th Avenue in Downtown Seattle.
Route 269: Revised to connect Sammamish to Mercer Island Station; expanded to all-day, all-week service with earlier mornings, later evenings, more frequency, and new weekend service.
Route 331: Extended route to serve UW Bothell campus directly.
Route 631: Added new weekend service.
Route 903: Increased span of service, increased frequency, and added connection to Route 902.
Routes 981, 982, 986, 988 and 989: Changes will happen for the Lakeside School routes starting Sept. 2. PM trip for Route 982 will now start on 1st Avenue NE at stop #81294 and will not serve 25th Avenue NE & NE 80th Street (Stop #25798) or NE 125th Street and 15th Avenue NE (Stop #35270). PM trip for Route 988 will no longer serve Shoreline South Station or Roosevelt Station. It will also no longer serve 23rd Avenue & E Republican or MLK Jr Way & E Olive Way for the AM and PM trip.
Route 987: Extended southbound service to Westwood Village.
Sound Transit Express 522: Revised route to connect riders directly to Shoreline South/148th Station.
The Source: Information in this article is from King County Metro.
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