Metro Transit is asking the King County Council for a temporary $20 annual surcharge on licensed vehicles as a stop-gap measure to maintain bus service. Metro has announced that if the council doesn’t approve the surcharge, it will have to cut up to 600,000 service hours – or 17 percent of current bus routes – in 2012 and 2013.
According to Metro’s proposal, a number of routes in Ballard will be hit hard. Several routes, including the 15 express, the 18, the 28, the 46 and the 81 will be eliminated completely. Other routes, including the 15, 17, 18 express, 28 express and 75 will have reduced or revised service. The 15, 15 express and 18 will be changed when Rapid Ride begins in 2012.
You can weigh in on the issue at two upcoming public meetings: at 6 p.m. next Tuesday, July 12, at the King County Courthouse, Council Chambers, 516 Third Ave., Seattle; and at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 21, at the Burien City Council Chambers, 400 SW 152nd St., Burien.
If you can’t make it to one of the public hearings, you can submit your comments to the council online.
Click here for a complete list of all routes (.pdf) and whether the proposal calls for them to be eliminated, reduced or remain unchanged. Click here for a map(.pdf) of all affected routes in Northwest Seattle.
Thanks to Sara and Keith for the tips and links!