Metro Connects
The Service Network
Customer amenities such as off-board fare payment, all-door boarding, advanced customer information technology, onboard Wi-Fi, and high-quality stations
Service on corridors and communities with strong transit demand
Integration with the rest of the region’s high-capacity transit network, offering connections to Sound Transit’s Link and commuter rail services as well as other regional bus rapid transit services
Operation on arterials, with wider stop spacing to strike a balance between greater access along a corridor and shorter end-to-end travel time
Operation on freeways where travel markets can only be served by limitedaccess freeways
Major capital investments such as access improvements and other community priorities
Metro will work closely with partner agencies to make the most of investments in RapidRide service.
Prioritization of RapidRide lines Metro currently operates six RapidRide lines (A-F). Four additional lines (G-J) are being developed and are expected to be in operation by 2026. An additional two lines, the K Line (Corridor 1027 between Totem Lake, Eastgate, and Kirkland) and the R Line (Corridor 1071 between Rainier Beach, Mount Baker, and the Seattle Central Business District), had been selected for investment, and community engagement and capital planning efforts were underway for those lines when those efforts were paused as part of King County’s 2021-2022 budget in response to the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Metro has prioritized the K and R lines as the next RapidRide lines to be implemented and has identified these lines in the Metro Connects future network maps (Figures 7, 8, 13, and 14) as being in operation by the time of the Interim Network. Because the K and R lines have already been prioritized for investment, they are not considered to be candidate lines and are not subject to the prioritization process described below. The high level of service associated with RapidRide requires significant investment in service and capital improvements. To be successful and make the best use of financial resources, all RapidRide expansion corridors must have: 1. Strong service demand; and 2. Connections to and between regional and other major destinations as part of the high-capacity transit network. Corridors that meet both criteria have been identified as candidates for RapidRide expansion in the interim and 2050 networks. Metro will prioritize equity and sustainability factors in selecting the specific candidate lines for development. This approach gives Metro flexibility to adapt to changing conditions and information gained from studies and community engagement before selecting and implementing new routes.
King County Metro Long Range Plan
23