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Home My WebLink AboutItems Submitted at the Meetingmoving toward financial stability and sustainability Metro service reductions proposed for February 2012 Starting in 2012, Metro Transit will not have enough funds to maintain bus service at current levels. King County Executive Dow Constantine has asked the County Council to approve a congestion reduction charge to help Metro maintain service for two years. The Executive also asked the Council to begin the process of reducing the transit system by 17 percent, to a sustainable level, if the congestion charge is not approved. The Executive proposed an initial reduction of 100,000 hours of service to take effect next February. The proposed reductions are consistent with the service guidelines in Metro's new Strategic Plan for Public Transportation. These guidelines define a process and priorities for reducing service. The first priority is to make 14 N Summit Downtown Discontinue service after 7:00 Seattle p.m. 22 White Center Downtown Discontinue midday and Seattle weekend service 25 Laurelhurst Downtown Reduce peak frequency from Seattle half-hourly to hourly 51 Alaska Admiral Discontinue midday and Junction District weekend service 53 Alaska Alki Beach Reduce the span of service, Junction operate between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. only 139 Gregory Burien Discontinue service after 7:00 Heights p.m. 209 North Bend Issaquah Discontinue service after 7:00 p.m. 236 Woodinville Kirkland Discontinue service after 7:00 p.m. 238 Bothell Kirkland Discontinue service after 7:00 p.m. 251 Bothell/ Redmond Reduce frequency during North Creek/ midday and on Saturday from Avondale hourly to every two hours, and end weekday service at 7:00 p.m. rather than 8:00 P.M. 930 Redmond Totem Lake Reduce frequency from half- hourly to hourly 935 Kenmore Totem Lake Reduce peak frequency to hourly and midday frequency from hourly to every two hours Time period definitions: Peak, 5-9 a.m. and 3-7 p.m. weekdays Off-peak, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays, 5 a.m.-7 p.m. weekends Night, 7 p.m.-5 a.m. all days http://metro. ki ngcou nty.gov/metro/futu re reductions to routes that carry relatively few people per hour. The proposal eliminates entire routes or all service during a specific period (peak, off- peak or night), or reduces how frequently a service operates during an entire time- period. Most people who use the services proposed for reduction will have other, but less convenient options. The affected routes are listed below. 1 34 Expres Park 7ea Downtown Seattle 38 r Transit Center Beacon Hill 42 Columbia City Downtown Seattle 45 Queen Anne U. District 46 Ballard U. District 79 Lake City/Ravenna Seattle CBD 99 Seattle Waterfront International District 116 Fauntleroy Downtown Seattle 129 Riverton Heights Tukwila Int'I Blvd Link Station 134 Burien Downtown Seattle 175 Mirror Lake/W Federal Way Downtown Seattle 196 S Federal Way Park and Ride Downtown Seattle 201 S Mercer Island N Mercer Island 210 Issaquah Downtown Seattle 219 Newcastle Factoria 277 Juanita/RoseHill U. District 600 Seattle CBD Group Health Admin. Offices 912 Enumclaw Covington 925 Newcastle Factoria 927 Issaquah Sammamish L-9 King County METRO We'll Get You There June 20, 2011 Proposed Reductions February 2012 (100,000 annual hours) I Shoi / 1 f \ l 1 / \ / Burien Vashon Island Norm Des Moines See reverse for a list of Metro route reductions or deletions proposed for February 2012. LEGEND f-1---------------------------------- ' L Bothell Kenmore v`T Woodinville 1 Duval I -hints 520 Point Medina Sammamish Issaquah Carnation North / / \ C Auburn Fedel Wa3 Algona I_Milton - - - Pacifc L9 King County METRO We'll Get You There Reduced or Deleted Routes Deleted DART Area Current Metro Routes The Infonmaton Inclutlbtl on this map has been lbd by King County Staff from a vb n ety of so urcbs and is su bject b cha ngb without notice. King County makes no representations or wa nantes, express or Implletl, ur... completeness, tmeineg, or righ6Gh the use ofsudh Inforrnatcon. King County shall not be Ilable for any geneal, special, Intlirb,A nc,dbntb rc,n,bqubntb1db-b,,ncudng, butnoth bd o s[pmfits resulting fmm tlhe useormisusb ofthb Info-ton conb nbd on this map. Anysalb ofth pormformaton on thls nap is June 16, 2011 pmhmlbd except by-tbnpbr-, n of vJng county . -1I LQ King County l http://metro.kingcounty.gov/metro/future June 20, 2011 June 20, 2011 Executive requests Council action to move Metro toward financial stability King County Executive Dow Constantine this moming asked the King County Council to make important decisions about the future of MeVo Transif: approve interim funding to help maintain Metro service near cuITent levels for the next two years, or begin the process of reducing the transit system by 17 percent l'he weak economy has caused a deep and prolonged shortfall in the reyenue Metro receives from sales tax. Metro has cut cosfs, raised fares four times, dug deeply into reserves, found new opecating efficiencies, canceled the purchase of replacement buses, and negotiated cost.-saving . contracts with its employee unions. These actions have generated nearly $400, million 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. King County is working with regional leaders, legislators, and the Govemor on a long-term funding solution for statewide transportation needs. For the short-term, the Executive asked the Council #o adopt a congestion reduction charge for two years, as authorized by the state legislature. This temporary charge of $20 a year on vehicles licensed in King County would help Metro preserve the transit system near current levels in 2012-2013. In case the congestion charge is not approved, the Executive also asked the Council to authorize a reduction of 100,000 service hours nextFebruary. This would be the first step in a plan he will propose.to reduce bus service.by a total of 600,000 annual service fiours, or 17 percent of the current system, over the next to years. This tofal reduction would have a big impact on riders: it would /ead to fhe /oss of an esfimated 9 million passenger trips annually. As a consequence, some or our customecs would lose service, and many riders would find bus service to be less convenient. If a congestion reduction.charge is not approved, Metro will follow service guidelines in the new 2011-2021 Strategic Plan forPublic Transportation to propose senrice reductions. The , guidelines-based on the recommendations of King County's Regional Transit Task Force-were recently approved by the Regional Transit Committee and will be acted on soon by the County Council. They emphasize providing productive service that carries more people per hour, serving communities that depend heavily on transit, and distributing service faidy throughout the county. Metro is critically important to our region-we provide more than 360,000 passenger rides every weekday, and transit helps keep congestion and vehicle emissions in check and will support our region's economy recovery. I encourage you to become engaged in the process of making decisions about Metro's future. Sincerely, Kevin Desmond, General Manager King County Metro Transit ~ JUNE 2011 > moving toward ~ . - Wh Sustd'nlttMetro InformaciGn importante sobre ei servicio fBPDd11C18I St8b1I1$y y g ae a°t°'"'Ses and sustainabiloty ~ , IS CI'ItICBII~/ It11pOttallt Para solicitar esta informacibn en Espanol, sirvase Ilamar al 206-263-9988 o envie un mensaje de correo electrbnico a • Riders tooKmoie than 109 millionYrips on susWinablemetro@kingcounty.gov. TI115 SU(I1f11eC, important choices must.be Metro buses in 1010-more than 360,000 rides every weekday. Ridership has been f118de 8b0Ut th2 fUtUCe Of Klflg COUfIIy M2if0 increasing recently--likely due ro high gas bU5 S2fVIC2. The: decisions will determine if prices and the'beginnings:of economic recoYeiy. • the County can preserve service near current • Overhalf the people who ride Metro 6uses I2V2I5 fOC tI12 t12Xt tW0 y2al5, or must reduce are going to their jobs:.About four out of every io PeoPie commucin9 co wo►k in the transit system by 17 percent, leading downtown Seattle take transit. t0 th2 (05S Of 9mllllOfl pd5S2f1]Ef t(IPS a • 7ransit eases traffic congestion. On average, yeat" end t'2dUClllg tfeflSlt's ability to ease Metro's buses carry the equivalent of seven . lanesof traffic on state highways in peak ~K~~°'°rt'' congestion, curb air pollution and support commuting hours. METRO OUf f2g10(1's economic recovery. . Transii can help reduce greenhouse•gas We'I( GetYouThere emissions by removing cars from our roads. • Buses and Access vans are economical DepartmeM of Transportation options that connect people with.low incomes or limited mobiliry to work; school; 201 lackson St, Seattle, WA 98104 - essential services and othei daily activities. sustainablemetro@kingcounry.gov 55 206=263-4768 Learn more and comment: www.kingcounty.gov/metro/future "°""°"'""sm" 4Coutity Kiiig , . O King County Metro Transit What is a congestion If a congestion reduction charge is not approved, has cut cosu, increased fares, and found ways redudion charge? _ how will Metro decide where to reduce service7 to operate more efficiently over the past few This would be a$20 charge on every 4 Metro will develop service reduction proposals using guidelines in the years. But Metro has 6een hit hard by the poor vehicle licensed in King Counry ior new 2011-2021 Strategic Plan for Public Transportation. Metro will economy. More than 60 percent of Metro's each of two years. The Legislature Publlt tr8115po1'tatioll provide many opportunities for the public to provide input. operating funds come from sales taxes, and its authorized this interim measure eases COpge5t1o11 income has fallen deeply. knowing that Metro service is critical ' If public transportation Metro's service guidelines-based on recommendations made by to support economic recovery, give yvas not available in the King County's Regional Transit Task Force-emphasize three things: Despite creating many savings and efficiencies, eo le an alternative to a in • Providing productive service that carries more people per hour P P P Y 9 Puget Sound region, Metro faces an ongoing annual shortfall of about $60 million. Without • Serving communities that depend heavily on transit a new source of revenue, Metro will have to make deep service cuts to hi9h 9as Prices, and relieve traffic travelers would experience . Distributing service fairly throughout the county. congesGon-especially during an additional 14.1 million live within its means. construdion of road and bridge hours of delay. Metro alone Metro will continue developing iu new RapidRide lines, which are Kin9 Countl' is workin9 with re9ional leaders, le9islatoa and the projects. The legislature also saves travelers an estimated desi9ned to achieve hi9h levels of Productivi RaPidRide will Provide Governor on a long-term funding soludon for statewide transportation recognized the reforms Metro has 4.6 million gallons oi frequent service all day on busy corridors serving major destinations. needs. For the short-tenn, the County Executive has proposed two made to reduce cosu and make the ;uel annually by easing adions to the County Council to put Metro on a path to financia) most of every taxpayer dollar, congescion. stability and sustainability: Learn more and get involved • Adopt an Interim "congestion reduction What has Metro done to narrow the gapT Visit www.kingcaunty.gov/metro/future to sign up for email updates, charge" for two years, as authorized by the After income from sales tax began falling short, Metro launched a submit a comment, and find a Metro presentation near you. state leglslature. 7his temporary charge of $20 comprehensive action plan. Metro cut stafl positions, postponed a year would help Metro preserve iu transit system most plans to expand service, canceled replacement bus purchases, near current levels in 2012-2013. increased revenue through a shift in property tax from county ferries - to Metro, dug deeply into reserves, and made some reductions in bus - TCdnSP01'tBtlOt1 CI101C8S • Adopt a plan to reduce bus service, if the congestion charge is not approved. The service that had relatively little impact on riders. Coalition forums Executive has asked the Council to reduce the Metro adopted efficiency measures recommended in a performance Seattle: Friday, luly 8, 12 noon transh system by about 100,000 service hours audit that will yield ongoing savings of about $20 million annually. Bertha landes Room, 5eattle Ciry Hall in February 2012, as the first step in a plan he 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104 will propose to reduce 600,000 hours of service Metro's employees stepped up to do their paR to preserve service over the next two years if new revenue is not to the public. Last year, Metro and its unions negotiated cost-cutting Eastside: Friday, July 15, 12 nOOn approved. The total reduction would shrink labor agreemenu. HDR Engineering , the Metro system by about il percent, The County Council approved four fare increases-a total 80 percent 500 108th Avenue NE, 12th floor, Bellevue 98004 leading to the loss of an estimated 9 mlllion increase--in the past four years. passenger trips annually. As a consequence, Hear (rom Metro General Manager Kevin Desmand ' many customers would find bus service to be less These attions are generating nearly $400 mitlion to narrow about Metro's financial situation and the choices ahead. convenient; some would lose service. the budget gap for the years 2008-2011 and will generate about www,trensportationchoices.org $143 million annually in future years. i