Bus Rapid Transit

King County Metro has slashed the budgets for the K and R Lines by 20% to 25%, which could scale back planned reliability improvements and rider amenities. The move raises serious questions about the future of the overall RapidRide program.

Pivoting away from full-scale bus base retrofits that go all-in on battery electric buses means that Metro won't face a fiscal cliff until the early 2030s, according to budget writers. Metro's General Manager also framed the move as one that helps to preserve core bus services.

Assuming bottomless motorist demand and no mode shift to transit made the Seattle Department of Transportation's study of Denny Way bus lanes effectively worthless. Route 8 upgrades deserves real consideration.

After considering a broader slate of property condemnations to keep the RapidRide I Line on track for a 2027 opening, the council is poised to approve a compromise measure much narrower in scope.

Work to close the 20-25% funding gap announced Thursday will likely have far-reaching implications on everything from system expansion projects to how Sound Transit delivers current service. The coming months will likely see assumptions long thought settled back on the table.

Planned 4 Line light rail would stop well short of urban cores in Kirkland and Issaquah and not open until the 2040s. This makes bus rapid transit a better fit that can be deployed more quickly and economically, Oliver Chen argues.

This week, Sound Transit broke ground on a $274 million base in Bothell vital to the region's Stride bus rapid transit plans. The base will support battery electric buses for the S1, S2, and S3 lines, which together compose 45 miles of service spanning from Lynnwood to Burien.