Metro Transit making bus service changes in June
Adjustments also include Saturday closure of downtown bus tunnel

Starting Saturday, June 4, King County Metro Transit will make changes to bus operations in Seattle to speed up service and prepare for the closure of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel that occurs in late September of this year.

These changes in June – and particularly those in September – will affect all bus passengers who travel to, from, or through downtown Seattle. There will also be modifications in June to routes serving Rainier Valley, Capitol Hill, the University District, Kent, and the Kingsgate-Totem Lake area.

Metro updates its routes and scheduling three times a year in February, June and September to improve service and keep up with the changing needs of transit passengers. Here are the highlights of the upcoming service change:

Saturday tunnel closure – Beginning June 4, the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT) will be closed on Saturdays in addition to the regular Sunday closure. This is in preparation for light rail coming to downtown.

Buses that would normally operate in the tunnel on Saturdays will operate via surface streets, just as they currently do at night and on Sundays and holidays. When the tunnel completely closes on Sept. 24, all tunnel buses will move to new surface street routings.

Work has begun on Sound Transit's project to build Link light rail between SeaTac and downtown Seattle. The project includes upgrading and retrofitting the DSTT so both buses and light rail can use it. The tunnel will be closed for up to two years.

Sound Transit, Metro Transit, the City of Seattle, and Community Transit are implementing bus service changes and a $16 million mitigation package of projects and programs to support transit operations and keep traffic flowing through downtown Seattle during the closure.

There will be additional service changes made in September to both tunnel and non-tunnel routes to more evenly distribute bus service in downtown, and to provide reliable schedules. 

Route 7 split – Starting June 4, Metro Transit will split the 15-mile long Route 7 into two separate routes. This is being done to speed up service for passengers. Historically, Route 7 is one of Metro’s longest routes and one of the most popular, with more than 5 million passenger trips a year. It currently operates between Rainier Beach and the University District via downtown Seattle and Capitol Hill.

The two routes - Route 7 and new Route 49 - will operate as separate routes from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. During split times, Route 7 will operate between Rainier Beach and downtown Seattle, and Route 49 will provide service between downtown and the University District via Capitol Hill. Passengers wanting to travel beyond downtown on either route will need to transfer.

The last northbound bus stop for Route 7 on Third Avenue will be at Pike Street. To continue to Capitol Hill and the University District, transfer to Route 49 eastbound on Pike Street at Fourth Avenue.

The last southbound stop for Route 49 will be on Pine Street at Second Avenue. To continue to Rainier Beach, transfer to Route 7 southbound on Third Avenue at Pine Street.

The two routes will be connected in the early morning and after 7 p.m. and all day on Sundays. During those times, all Route 7 trips from Rainier Beach will continue through downtown Seattle as Route 49 trips to Capitol Hill and the University District. And, all Route 49 trips from the University District and Capitol Hill will continue as Route 7 trips to Rainier Beach.

Route 7 service between downtown Seattle and Rainier Beach will operate with the same frequency as today; however, service in the evening Monday through Saturday will be more frequent, every 15 minutes until 9:30 p.m.

Route 49 will operate Monday through Saturday every 15 minutes until 9:30 p.m., and on Sunday every 15 minutes until 6:30 p.m. At other times, Route 49 will operate every 30 minutes.

Commute routes via SR520 – The June service change will include new routing in the mornings for some routes traveling from the Eastside to downtown Seattle. Routes 250, 257, 261, 268 and 311 will operate via Fifth Avenue on their morning trips into Seattle from State Route 520. Currently these routes travel southbound through downtown on Second Avenue. Changes to these non-tunnel routes are being made in order to more evenly distribute service in the downtown area and maintain reliable operation.

Revised Kent service – Metro will begin serving Sound Transit’s Kent Sounder Train Station in June with service on routes 150, 153, 154, 158, 159, 162, 164, 166, 167, 168, 169, and 183, along with Boeing Route 952, and Sound Transit routes 564 and 565.

Routes 150, 154, 158, 159, 162, 164, 166, and 168 will continue to serve the old Kent Park-and-Ride at Lincoln and James (formerly called the Kent Transit Center); however, the lot will be reduced to 100 parking spaces. Buses will serve only the new stops on James Street near the north end of the lot. All existing bus bays along Lincoln Avenue will be closed and removed.

The Kent commuter rail station includes 880 parking spaces (surface and garage). The rail station is closer to most Kent destinations, such as the Regional Justice Center, the Kent Library, downtown businesses, and the soon-to-open Kent Station retail and entertainment center.

Kingsgate changes – Metro’s Kingsgate Freeway Stations, located northbound and southbound on Interstate 405, will be closed due to the construction of new access ramps being built by Sound Transit. A new Totem Lake transfer point will replace the Kingsgate Freeway Station.

During construction, a Sound Transit-funded King County Metro shuttle - Route 630 - will operate between the Kingsgate Park-and-Ride lot and downtown Bellevue during peak commute times. Metro passengers traveling to the Totem Lake area to and from the north will need to transfer at the Brickyard Park-and-Ride to routes 236, 238, or 255.

University District summer service – University District routes 31, 48, 68, 75, 167, 197, 205, 271, 272, 330, and 372 will have some trips suspended during the summer due to lower usage. Please check the new timetables to make sure your trip has not changed.

Fares – Sound Transit will increase its express bus fares on June 1. This may affect passengers who transfer between Metro and Sound Transit buses, but Metro fares are not changing. A Metro transfer is worth $1.50 toward an adult fare on Sound Transit Express buses after June 1.

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All of these changes are detailed in new teal-colored Metro timetables and a special Rider Alert brochure. Those materials will be available in late May. Look for them on buses in the racks near the front of the coach. The brochures and timetables are also available at Metro information racks, libraries, and work sites.

The new timetables will be available on Metro Online on Friday, June 3. Or, call Metro Rider Information at (206) 553-3000.  

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