The Metropolitan King County Council today unanimously approved a partnership agreement between Metro Transit and Children’s Hospital to increase transit service to the regional health facility.

“One of the goals of the Transit Now initiative approved by county voters is to stretch our transit dollars by working with cities and organizations to share the cost of increased service to specific locations,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn, Chair of the Council’s Transportation Committee. “Children’s Hospital is a facility that serves people throughout King County. Increasing access to the hospital benefits everyone, especially the friends and families of the young patients who are at Children’s.”

“I commend Children’s Hospital for being the first to take advantage of Transit Now's service partnerships,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips. “By making a private investment to cover a portion of the funding, Children's will be able to leverage additional Metro service to substantially boost the convenience of transit for their employees, patients, and visitors. I look forward to seeing other businesses, cities, and organizations take advantage of similar partnership agreements.”

Transit Now, adopted by county voters last November, increases bus service throughout King County to encourage people to take public transportation. Among its provisions is one dedicating a portion of the revenue raised for support of a new Service Partnership Program. Cities and organizations that raise matching funds can partner with Metro to increase transit service along specific routes in their community. Working with Metro, matching funds from Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center will increase service on Metro routes 25 and 75, which serve Children’s Hospital in Seattle's Laurelhurst neighborhood.

“For many parents and friends of the young people who are at Children’s, Metro Transit is their only means of transportation,” said Council Chair Larry Gossett, whose district includes Children’s. “Transit Service improvements provide greater access to this first class medical center. For patients, a friendly face will go a long ways toward helping them feel better.”

“Children’s Hospital has set a fine example of the type of service partnerships we envisioned for Transit Now” said Councilmember Bob Ferguson. “When I represented Children’s on the County Council I worked with the organization to increase transit service to and from the hospital and I am pleased that patients, caregivers, and their family and friends will have additional travel options thanks to this inaugural service partnership. I congratulate Children’s and Metro Transit on their partnership agreement and look forward to helping launch new service partnerships with other organizations and the cities I represent in the years to come.”

Read more about this legislation on the King County Council’s LEGISEARCH system. Type in "2007-0215"