King County Executive Dow Constantine is looking to the King County Council to approve a two-year, $20 congestion reduction charge to help maintain Metro service near current levels, or begin the process of reducing the transit system by 17 percent.

The recession has impacted Metro, causing a drop infunding from sales tax. Since 2007 Metro has cut costs, raised fares four times, tapped reserves, found new operating efficiencies, canceled the purchase of replacement buses, and negotiated cost-saving contracts with its employee unions.

Their efforts have realized nearly $400 million, acting to narrow Metro’s budget gap for 2008-2011 and about $143 million annually for the years ahead—but Metro still faces an ongoing shortfall of $60 million per year.

The two-year congestion reduction charge would be $20 a year on vehicles licensed in King County. The proceeds would be used to preserve transit service while King County works with regional leaders, legislators and the Governor on a long-term funding solution for transportation needs.

In the event the congestion charge is not approved, the Executive also asked the Council to authorize a reduction of about 100,000 annual bus service hours in February 2012. This would be the first in a series of reductions totaling 600,000 service hours that the Executive would ask the Council to authorize for the next two years if new funding is not approved.

These reductions would shrink the Metro system by about 17 percent, leading to the loss of an estimated 9 million passenger trips annually. Overall, a reduction of this size would affect 80 percent of Metro passengers—meaning four out of five bus riders would have to walk further, wait longer, make an extra transfer, stand in the aisle, or even see fully loaded buses pass them by.

To learn more and comment:

Visit www.kingcounty.gov/metro/future
Attend a forum sponsored by the Transportation Choices Coalition:
o Friday, July 8, noon, Seattle City Hall, Bertha Landes Room, 600 Fourth Ave, Seattle 98104
o Friday, July 15, noon, HDR Engineering, 500 108th Ave NE, 12th Floor, Bellevue 98004
Read Executive Constantine’s announcement: www.kingcounty.gov/exec/news/release/2011/June/20Metro.aspx