Public transportation in our region is preparing for the future. King County Metro Transit is looking ahead to make sure it can provide the right mix of services and connections to get people where they need to go as our communities grow. At the same time, Sound Transit will be engaging with residents as it develops a system plan for a proposed ballot measure.

That’s why the two agencies are teaming up for a series of joint open houses beginning June 16 to give King County residents a convenient one-stop opportunity to help shape both of these important long-range plans.

“Our ongoing integration of planning and operations at Metro and Sound Transit creates opportunities like this, to share public meetings and make it easier for people to help steer our shared transit future,” said King County Executive and Sound Transit Board Chair Dow Constantine. “It’s a pivotal time for both agencies, and we invite our riders to be a part of it.”

Meetings will be held:

Tuesday, June 16
5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Union Station
401 S Jackson St., Seattle

Tuesday, June 23
5:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m. Redmond Marriot
7401 164th Ave. NE., Redmond

Thursday, June 25
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Union Station
401 S Jackson St., Seattle

Thursday, June 25
5:30-7:30 p.m. King County Aquatic Center
650 SW Campus Dr., Federal Way

You can help Metro craft a long-range transit plan

Metro is kicking off the second phase of its Long-Range Plan by asking riders and stakeholders to help build strong transit connections that will move people smoothly between buses and trains as our transit infrastructure grows.

During the open houses, riders will be asked to look to the future to begin mapping out longer-range transit needs that will help support their growing communities. Will they need more express, frequent or local bus service – or a mix of all three types of services?

Why develop a long-range plan? Consider this: By 2040, another 360,000 people will be living in King County – more than half of Seattle’s current population. An estimated 50 percent of all transit trips in the county will be taken on a Metro bus. That means the system of our future will need to support:

· A nearly 50 percent increase in riders commuting 30 minutes or less to jobs concentrated in growth centers all across the county. By contrast, the percentage of people commuting to work by car is expected to grow by just 20 percent by 2040. Without planning, there may not be the right mix of transit services available to get people to their jobs.

· More commute trips being taken by people living outside the city of Seattle. That means there will be a need to grow transit across the county to meet demand.

· An estimated 2.3 million additional annual service hours – or more than 700,000 daily weekday boardings - on King County Metro services by 2040.

In addition to providing feedback during an upcoming open house, you can take our survey to help us better understand what service you value in your community.

Based on feedback received during these open-houses, Metro will develop a preferred concept available for public review this fall. The public will have yet another opportunity to review Metro’s proposed plan in early 2016 before being submitted to the King County Council for action in mid to late 2016.