Construction of the new Burien Transit Center began last week.

It is located at 4th Avenue Southwest and Southwest 150th Street, the site of the current transit center and Burien Park-and-Ride.

Metro officials said the new expanded transit center will provide bus riders with better connections, improved security, and faster travel times for buses.

"This project is a model of how we can make it possible for residents to live and work in walkable, transit-rich communities," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "Metro Transit partnered with the city of Burien on the design of this transit center to make sure it was consistent with the city's vision for its downtown core, and to make Burien better prepared to weather impacts when construction begins on the Alaskan Way viaduct."

When completed in 2009, the center will have a passenger platform that can accommodate eight buses, and up to eight on-site layover spaces for buses. The buses will load and unload at the off-street bays rather than at the curb on 4th Avenue Southwest as they do now, and passengers will be able to transfer between routes without crossing a busy street.

The new transit center will also have a loading platform for van passengers, who will be able to transfer between the vans and Metro's regular routes.

The bus layover spaces will reduce the time required for buses to travel to and from the transit center, lowering costs, and improving service, according to Metro. It is expected to speed up bus travel times by five minutes or more per trip.

Other amenities at the center include new passenger shelters, benches, security cameras, and improved lighting. It is being built in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration and the city of Burien.

During construction, up to 125 parking spaces in the existing park-and-ride lot will be closed. The reduction in spaces will be phased, and most will not close until early August.

Alternate parking is available at the 87 spaces in the city's nearby municipal lot.

More details are available at www.kingcounty.gov/metro.