Drafter

Clerk 05/05/2016

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AN ORDINANCE approving September 2016 public transportation service changes for King County.

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STATEMENT OF FACTS:

1.  The proposed changes to Metro's fixed route transit network include changes that affect service in the cities of Bothell, Kenmore, Kirkland, Redmond, Renton, Seattle and Tukwila, as well as portions of unincorporated King County.

2.  The proposed changes are consistent with the policy direction and priorities adopted via Ordinance 17641 in August 2013, in the 2013 update to King County Metro's Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2011-2021 and associated Service Guidelines.

3.  In February 2012, Ordinance 17259 directed the reduction or elimination of low performing fixed-route bus service and reinvestment of resources into priorities established within the King County Metro Transit Strategic Plan 2011-2021 and Service Guidelines.

4.  Ordinance 17259 directed the elimination of Route 42 effective with the Winter 2013 service change.

5.  Ordinance 17259 directed the executive to collectively engage the riders and stakeholders associated with Routes 8 and 42 and any other bus routes directly affected by potential service change concepts identified in a community-developed proposal to meet rider needs in the southeast Seattle and Rainier Valley area.

6.  Between 2012 and 2014, Metro met with a coalition of community-based organizations ("Transit for All") and engaged with the general public to collect feedback about potential service changes and related needs in southeast Seattle.

7.  Riders and organizations that serve populations that depend on transit identified the need for better connections between southeast Seattle, Renton and other areas south of the city, as well as more convenient bus service to stores, services and the many social, health, cultural and religious activities along Martin Luther King Jr Way South.

8.  In 2015, Metro formed a community advisory group, including representatives from Transit for All, to inform the development of the service change proposal reflected in this ordinance.

9.  In September 2006, Ordinance 15582 directed the submission of a proposition to King County voters to authorize the county to fix and impose an additional sales and use tax of one-tenth of one percent to fund expansion of the public transportation system and a variety of transit service improvements ("Transit Now").

10.  Ordinance 15582 identified a number of transit service measures to be implemented using the one-tenth of one percent sales and use tax collected through Transit Now that focused on capital, operating and maintenance improvements that were expected to expand and improve bus service within King County.

11.  The service partnership program was one of the key strategies identified in Transit Now, approved by King County voters in the general election on November 7, 2006.

12.  Two types of service partnerships were authorized by Transit Now:  direct financial partnerships and speed-and-reliability partnerships.

13.  Transit Now service partnerships are consistent with Strategy 3.1.1 of the King County Metro Strategic Plan for Public Transportation, 2013 Update, which indicates that Metro enters into agreements with public and private entities to fund new or improved public transportation services in which the partner contribution may be in the form of direct funding or investment that results in transit speed or reliability improvements.

14.  In April 2008, Ordinance 16041 authorized the county executive to enter into specific Transit Now service partnership agreements, including a speed-and-reliability partnership agreement with the cities of Bellevue and Redmond.

15.  In December 2008, Metro and the cities of Bellevue and Redmond executed a Transit Now speed-and-reliability partnership agreement.  That agreement specifies that the cities of Bellevue and Redmond are eligible to receive up to ten thousand annual bus service hours in exchange for implementing transit speed and reliability improvements specified in the partnership agreement.

16.  Metro has determined that the cities of Bellevue and Redmond have fulfilled the responsibilities identified in the speed-and-reliability partnership agreement and are now eligible to receive ten thousand annual bus service hours.

17.  Metro and the cities of Bellevue and Redmond have agreed to use a portion of the ten thousand annual bus service hours to implement new Route 243, as specified in this ordinance.

                     BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:

                     SECTION 1.  The September 2016 public transportation service changes,

including new Route 243, substantially as described in Attachment A to this ordinance, are hereby approved and shall be implemented effective September 10, 2016.