File #: 2025-0056    Version:
Type: Ordinance Status: Passed
File created: 2/11/2025 In control: Transportation, Economy, and Environment Committee
On agenda: Final action: 3/4/2025
Enactment date: 3/7/2025 Enactment #: 19899
Title: AN ORDINANCE approving East Link and Downtown Redmond Link Extension Transportation Service Changes for King County.
Sponsors: Claudia Balducci, Sarah Perry
Indexes: Metro
Attachments: 1. Ordinance 19899, 2. A. East Link and Downtown Redmond Link Extension Public Transportation Service Changes for King County, March 4, 2025, 3. 2025-0056 transmittal letter, 4. 2025-0056 Fiscal Note, 5. East Link - Executive Summary, 6. Equity Impact Review, 7. Letters of Support, 8. Public Engagement Report, 9. Title VI Service Analysis, 10. 2025-0056 Legislative Review Form, 11. 2025-0056_SR_East-Link-Restructure, 12. ATT2_Amdt1_Review B-K-02-10-25-v2 bar, 13. ATT9_Metro-Presentation, 14. 2025-0056_Revised_SR_East-Link-Restructure
Staff: Bourguignon, Mary

Title

AN ORDINANCE approving East Link and Downtown Redmond Link Extension Transportation Service Changes for King County.

Body

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

1.  The changes in this ordinance to the Metro transit department's bus transit network include revisions to bus service in the cities of Beaux Arts, Bellevue, Bothell, Clyde Hill, Duvall, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Medina, Mercer Island, Newcastle, North Bend, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, Shoreline, Seattle, Snoqualmie, Woodinville, and Yarrow Point.

2.  The changes in this ordinance are consistent with the policy direction and priorities adopted in Ordinance 19367, enacted December 15, 2021, which adopted the 2021 update to the King County Metro Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2021-2031 and Service Guidelines.

3.  Incremental implementation of the proposed changes is consistent with the policy direction and policies approved in the Metro Service Recovery Plan by the enactment of Ordinance 19581.

4.  The changes in this ordinance reinstate or replace the fully or partially suspended service on Routes 8, 111, 114, 167, 200, 204, 208, 212, 214, 216, 217, 218, 219, 221, 224, 225, 226, 232, 237, 240, 241, 245, 246, 249, 250, 252, 257, 268, 269, 271, 311, 342, 630, 930, 931, and RapidRide B Line within the East Link Connections project consistent with the approach identified in the Metro Service Recovery Plan.

5.  In 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, the Metro transit department conducted public outreach concerning proposed changes to service in east and north areas of King County currently provided by Routes 8, 111, 114, 167, 200, 204, 208, 212, 214, 216, 217, 218, 219, 221, 224, 225, 226, 232, 237, 240, 241, 245, 246, 249, 250, 252, 257, 268, 269, 271, 311, 342, 630, 930, 931, and RapidRide B Line.

6.  The service changes in this ordinance would eliminate and replace routes 114, 167, 200, 208, 212, 214, 216, 217, 219, 221, 232, 237, 241, 246, 252, 257, 268, 271, 311, and 342, and reinvest savings to create new routes 203, 215, 220, 222, 223, 251, 256, and 270, and expand service on routes 111, 204, 224, 226, 240, 249, 250, 269, 930, and 931.

7.  The service changes in this ordinance would modify the routing of routes 8, 111, 218, 224, 225, 226, 240, 245, 249, 250, 269, 630, 931, and RapidRide B Line.

8.  Sound Transit initially opened eight light rail stations on the Link 2 Line between Bellevue and Redmond in April 2024, with additional stations in downtown Redmond, Marymoor Village, Mercer Island, and Judkins Park in Seattle expected to open in 2025.

                     BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:

                     SECTION 1.  The East Link Connections service changes for King County, substantially as described in Attachment A to this ordinance, are hereby approved.  The Metro transit department may implement the changes beginning with the Fall 2025 Service Change.

                     SECTION 2.  A.  To measure the success of the East Link Connections Mobility Project, the executive shall engage with Sound Transit, local jurisdictions, including the cities of Bellevue and Kirkland, and other stakeholder organizations to review the performance of the service changes approved to the transit network by this ordinance in terms of ridership trends.

                     B.  The executive shall provide a summary of the review in a letter to the council, to be sent no later than the date of the Fall 2027 service change to the clerk of the council, who shall retain an electronic copy and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers,

the council chair of staff, and the lead staff for the transportation, economy, and environment committee or its successor.