- Major service changes for bus riders across the greater King County area arrived at several stations Saturday, with over a dozen Sound Transit Express bus routes undergoing some form of service changes now in effect.
- Sound Transit added two new night bus routes between Redmond and Seattle and Lakewood and Seattle.
- Six bus routes have been eliminated completely: 515 (Lynnwood — Seattle), 550 (Bellevue — Seattle), 554 (Issaquah — Seattle), 570 (Night Bus, SeaTac — Seattle), 580 (South Hill — Puyallup), and 586 (Tacoma — University District).
- Sound Transit said the service changes have been years in the making and largely reflect recent expansions to the LINK Light Rail system.
- Sound Transit describes this as one of the biggest service changes in its bus service history, better deploying resources to move as many people as possible in a regional network.
- Riders can find helpful information from signs posted at impacted stations and stops, and by communicating with Sound Transit staff in person.
- In addition to Sound Transit's changes, King County Metro is rolling out its largest service expansion in recent years, with nine new bus routes completing more than 3,000 additional bus trips weekly.
- South King County will see the biggest changes, with three new routes and changes or expansions made to 11 other routes.
- The expansion also includes new routes and service changes in North King County and on the Eastside.
Major bus service changes were implemented in King County on Saturday, marking a significant shift for local transit. Sound Transit introduced two new night routes while eliminating six existing routes, a move that reflects years of planning and recent expansions to the LINK Light Rail system.
According to Henry Bendon, a public information officer for Sound Transit, "This is one of the biggest service changes in the history of Sound Transit bus service," emphasizing the need to better utilize resources to enhance regional connectivity. The changes are expected to accommodate the 150,000 daily light rail users, a number that surpasses previous bus capacities.7
In addition to Sound Transit’s adjustments, King County Metro is launching its largest service expansion in recent years, adding nine new bus routes that will facilitate over 3,000 additional trips weekly. The most significant changes will occur in South King County, which will see three new routes and modifications to 11 others. This expansion also includes new routes and service changes in North King County and on the Eastside.91012
“Sound Transit's changes reflect recent LINK Light Rail expansions, with trains opened to Federal Way, across Lake Washington, and to downtown Redmond in the last year and a half. King County Metro's expansion adds over 3,000 weekly trips, with the biggest changes in South King County.”
KOMO
