Politics & Government

Woodinville Commuters to Bellevue: Redmond Bus Changes and RapidRide Proposal Subject of Public Hearing

King County Executive's proposal will be heard by the County Council at a public hearing on April 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Mercer Island Community Center, located at 8236 SE 24th St. Changes could affect anyone from Woodinville catching the Redmond line

Bellevue and Redmond will see changes to bus schedules as the county brings on RapidRide B Line, a more frequent bus line connecting the downtown Bellevue Transit Center to the Redmond Transit Center via Overlake and Crossroads.

However, while the proposed RapidRide B Line would bring a bus every 10 to 15 minutes to each stop on the route along Northeast Eighth Street, 156th Avenue Northeast, Northeast 40th Street, and 148th Avenue Northeast, it will replace Metro routes 230 and 253, which will be eliminated, according to Metro.

King County Executive Dow Constantine on Thursday proposed the plan to the Metropolitan King County Council, which will have to approve the plan before it is implemented. The proposal comes after several public open houses.

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The proposal will be heard by the County Council at a public hearing on Tuesday, April 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Mercer Island Community Center, 8236 SE 24th St., Mercer Island.  

“RapidRide will allow you to just show up to catch a bus between Bellevue and Redmond every 10 or 15 minutes, without having to check a schedule,” Constantine said Thursday, according to a news release. “We heard from Eastside residents, businesses, and public agencies, and this proposal reflects their wishes to consolidate resources and make Metro an easier alternative to driving a car.”
 
“RapidRide serves as a missing link for frequent, reliable connection to our employments centers in Bellevue and Redmond. This is a major increase in transit services for the Eastside," said council Vice Chair Jane Hague in the prepared statement.

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The RapidRide bus lines feature redesigned buses that are faster to load, redesigned stations with bus arrival signs and a signal priority system that would give buses a priority through intersections, according to the county.

The work has already started on renovating some of the bus stops, according to the county and city.

If the county council approves Constantine's proposal, RapidRide is expected to launch Oct. 1, along with the other proposed changes to bus service. (The date that the council is expected to make a decision was not available Thursday afternoon.)

The county officials say that some Eastside bus riders should have the same level of service – and in some cases more – but some may need to adjust to new routes or transfer connections. According to the county, King County’s RapidRide lines serving the route from Tukwila to Federal Way have seen an increase of 25 percent ridership in its first four months. 

On the Eastside, the proposal calls for:  

  • New Metro routes: RapidRide B Line, 226, 235 and 241  
  • Routes with added service: 212, 255, 271  
  • Routing changes: 221, 234, 240, 245, 246, 249, 250, and 265  
  • Routes proposed for elimination since current service will be offered by other routes: 222  (renumbered to 241), 225, 229, 230 (renumbered to 235), 233 (renumbered to 226), 247, 253, 256, 261, 266, 272, and 926
  • No changes are proposed for: 232, 242, 243, 248, 251, 268, 269 and 271.

Route-by-route descriptions, downloadable maps, and an interactive map can be found on Metro Online at www.kingcounty.gov/metro/BRConnections.


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