Cuts in bus service would affect Renton-area routes; hearing in Burien
Published 2:32 pm Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Staff from King County Metro Transit will outline possible cutbacks to bus service across the county – some of which could begin as soon as February – at Thursday’s public hearing on a proposed plan to help fund Metro.
The reductions would affect several routes in the Renton area.
The hearing is the third and final to be hosted by the Metropolitan King County’s Council’s Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee. It will be held at 6 p.m., Thursday, July 21, at Burien City Hall, 400 S.W. 152nd St., Burien.
The recession-driven decline in the sales-tax revenues that supports public transit leaves the County Council with two choices – ensure interim funding to continue service at current levels, or face the reality of cutting 17 percent of bus service by the end of 2013, according to a King County news release. As a result, four out of five bus riders would walk further, wait longer, stand on the bus—or at the curb as fully loaded buses pass them by.
More information about the proposal is available online.
Other service reductions beyond next February are still being researched and the public will be invited to participate in the planning.
If Metro must cut service by 600,000 annual hours during the next two years, there could be many impacts countywide. Not only would bus riders have less service, but more people are likely to return to driving in the absence of frequent and convenient service, leading to increased traffic congestion for all commuters, according to the county.
Thursday’s hearing is expected to attract residents, employees, and business owners from across South King County. More than 700 people attended the Seattle hearing on July 12.
Many of the service cuts being considered for neighborhoods and bus service in South King County would involve deleting entire routes or reducing the frequency of service. Some examples are:
• Eliminate routes: 110 (Renton), 129 (Tukwila), 133 (Burien), 134 (Burien), 139 (Burien), 152 (Auburn), 157 (Kent), 158 (Kent), 159 (Kent), 161 (East Kent), 162 (Kent), 173 (Federal Way), 175 (Federal Way), 179 (Federal Way), 196 (Federal Way), 901 (Federal Way), 908 (Renton), 910 (Auburn), 912 (Enumclaw), 913 (Kent), 914 (Kent), 916 (Kent), 918 (Kent), and 919 (Auburn);
• Reduced frequency: 101 (Renton), 107 (Renton), 111 (Renton Highlands), 125 (White Center), 148 (Fairwood), 150 (Kent), 156 (SeaTac), 166 (Des Moines), 169 (Kent/Renton), 903 (Federal Way), and 917 (Auburn);
• Eliminate weekend service: 155 (Fairwood/Southcenter) and 186 (Auburn);
• Eliminate evening service: 187 (Federal Way) and 903 (Federal Way).
There are other routes countywide under consideration for elimination, reduction or revision. While they may not travel through South King County, many of those other routes are important connections for bus riders and affect the overall traffic congestion at both the neighborhood and regional level, according to the county. For more information, visit: www.kingcounty.gov/metro/future.
The service change legislation that has been submitted to the King County Council includes some specific actions to take effect next February, such as: elimination of routes 129 (Tukwila), 134 (Burien), 175 (Federal Way), 196 (Federal Way), and 912 (Enumclaw); and reduced service on 139 (Burien).
