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Transit Service News

CHANGES in bus service for east King County begin Saturday, Sept. 29, 2001

Major changes are coming for bus riders. Metro Transit is adding and revising service to make it easier to get more places in east King County.

Metro Transit worked with residents, bus riders and local community organizations to develop these service changes. The changes, approved by the County Executive and County Council in spring 2001, take effect Saturday, Sept. 29, 2001.

How will you benefit from these changes?

In east King County, Metro is carrying out the following changes:

• Streamline service to downtown Seattle on State Route 520 and the Interstate 405 corridor.
• Provide Eastside residents with more frequent, faster connections within and between Eastside communities.
• Provide more direct service to Overlake employment area for Eastside residents.
• Reorganize Interstate 90 service in response to Sound Transit's new Regional Express Route 554.
• Revise or discontinue routes with lower ridership to provide more service to areas with higher ridership potential.
• Take riders to more places in downtown Bellevue.

These changes are consistent with the objectives and strategies of the Six-Year Transit Development Plan for 1996-2001, recommended by the County Executive and adopted by the County Council in December 1995.

Table of contents

• Downtown Bellevue
• Kirkland, Kingsgate, Juanita, Bothell, Woodinville
• Northshore, Kirkland, Juanita, Kingsgate
• Duvall, Woodinville, Bear Creek, Redmond, Houghton, Overlake, Crossroads, Lake Hills
• Sammamish, Issaquah, Eastgate, Factoria
• Other Eastside Areas
• Special Rider Alert brochure and timetables availability
• Other changes in King County coming
• For more information
• Help is available

September 2001 Changes

Changes in downtown Bellevue: (Bellevue boarding locations map)
*Effective October 8, 2001, Route 167 to the University District will board at Bay A instead of Bay B.

Why the changes?

• Sound Transit, the City of Bellevue and King County Metro are expanding the Bellevue Transit Center and building new rider and bus facilities in other parts of downtown Bellevue. Improvements to be available about June 2002 include more shelters and seating for passengers and more room for buses.
• During construction, bus reroutes will be necessary. Beginning this fall, fewer buses will use the transit center.
• Some routes will be permanently changed to provide direct trips for more riders to their destinations in downtown Bellevue. In addition, the changes will make it easier to travel around downtown Bellevue.

What's new?

• Because of construction reroutes, the best stop for making transfers will change for most routes. Please allow more time for your transfer until you are familiar with the new service locations.
• New bus stops on 106th Avenue Northeast at the intersection with the pedestrian walk (Northeast Sixth Street) will be the main transfer point for routes 220, 222, 232, 237, 240, 243, 249 and 921.
• The most frequent bus routes will use new stops on 108th Avenue Northeast at the intersection with the pedestrian walk (Northeast Sixth Street): routes 271 and ST 550, rush-hour service on ST Route 555 and late-night Metro Route 280.
• All other bus routes will use two temporary Bellevue Transit Center stops on the south side of Northeast Sixth Street between 108th and 110th avenues northeast.

See Bellevue boarding locations map) for bus stop changes in downtown Bellevue.

All-day service for Kirkland, Kingsgate, Juanita, Bothell, Woodinville neighborhoods, Seattle service: (Map 2)

Route 231, Route 236, Route 238, Route 255, Route 312, Route 931, Route 935

Why the changes?

• Run buses more often on more direct routing between Bothell and Kirkland via Totem Lake, and between Kenmore and Kirkland via Finn Hill.
• Provide a new direct connection between Woodinville and Totem Lake.
• Provide a new connection between the University of Washington Bothell/Cascadia Community College campus and Lake Washington Technical College.
• Improve all-day service connecting Kingsgate and downtown Seattle.
• Serve growing multifamily areas.
• Discontinue route segments with lower ridership.
• Expand Dial-A-Ride Transit service in the Finn Hill and Totem Lake areas.

What's new?

Discontinue Route 231

• Replace service in most areas with new or revised routes that start earlier, end later and provide half-hour service all day.
• Alternative service: See new Route 236 and revised Route 255 and Route 935 for replacement service between downtown Kirkland and the Kingsgate park-and-ride lot operating west of Interstate 405, and see revised Route 230 and new Route 238 for replacement service east of Interstate 405 between downtown Kirkland and Totem Lake. Replacement service on Northeast 118th Street, 113th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 130th Lane provided by revised Dial-A-Ride Transit Route 935.

New Route 236

• Provide new all-day service every day between Woodinville and downtown Kirkland via Totem Lake, serving the Brickyard park-and-ride lot, Evergreen Hospital, Kingsgate and Northeast 116th Street. See Map 2 for details.
• Operate selected trips on Forbes Creek Drive instead of Northeast 116th Street to serve start and end times at Lake Washington High School.
• Service levels: Operate every half-hour weekdays from about 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., and hourly on weekends from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

New Route 238

• Operate between Bothell and downtown Kirkland via Totem Lake, serving the University of Washington at Bothell/Cascadia Community College campus, Evergreen Hospital and Lake Washington Technical College. See Map 2 for details.
• Replace portions of Route 931 between Bothell and Totem Lake, and replace Route 230 service along 132nd Avenue Northeast.
• Operate selected trips on Seventh Avenue to loop through the Nor-Kirk/Highlands neighborhood, replacing service to Lake Washington High School now provided by Route 231.
• Service levels: Every 30 minutes on weekdays until about 7 p.m. and every 60 minutes at other times until about 11 p.m. On Saturday, operate hourly from about 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, operate hourly from about 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

New Route 255

• Combine service connecting downtown Kirkland, the south Kirkland park-and-ride lot and downtown Seattle into a single route.
• Provide new all-day service every half-hour to the Kingsgate neighborhood, connecting the Brickyard park-and-ride lot, downtown Kirkland and downtown Seattle.
• Add trips to downtown Seattle in the morning rush hour from the Kirkland Transit Center and from downtown Seattle during the afternoon rush hour to maintain service at least every 15 minutes between the Kirkland Transit Center and downtown Seattle.
• Revise Route 255 to serve Northeast 124th Street between 100th and 116th avenues northeast, 116th Avenue Northeast, the Kingsgate park-and-ride lot, 124th Avenue Northeast, Northeast 160th Street and the Brickyard park-and-ride lot. See Map 2 for details
• Service level: Operates 30-minute service all day along the entire route until about 9 p.m. weekdays and Saturday, and operates 60-minute service until about midnight. Sunday service operates hourly from about 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., every half-hour from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and hourly from 6 p.m. to midnight.
• What to do if your route has changed: Riders now boarding or exiting buses east of 124th Avenue Northeast in the Kingsgate residential areas and along Northeast 116th Street between 100th Avenue and 124th Avenue may use Route 236 to travel to the Totem Lake commercial center and to downtown Kirkland. To travel to or from downtown Seattle, transfer to Route 255 along 124th Avenue north of 124th Street, at the Kingsgate park-and-ride lot, along 98th Avenue south of 124th Street, or at the Kirkland Transit Center. Riders along Northeast 116th Street also may use rush-hour Route 260 to travel to and from Seattle, besides using new Route 236.

Route 312

• Add two morning trips, and adjust schedule to address overcrowding on buses.
• Service level: Provide service every five minutes to downtown Seattle from the Kenmore park-and-ride lot between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Discontinue Route 931

• Replace service in most areas with new or revised routes that start earlier, end later and provide half-hour service all day.
• Alternative service: Riders may use revised Route 251 for service in the Holly Hills area; new Route 236 for service on Brickyard Road, Juanita-Woodinville Road, Northeast 132nd Street and the Totem Lake area, on 18th Avenue and Third Street; and revised Route 255 on Northeast 124th Street and 98th Northeast/Market Street. No replacement service on Riverside Drive.

DART Route 935

• Revise routing to travel on Northeast 122nd Place, Juanita Drive Northeast and Northeast Juanita Drive, 98th Avenue Northeast, 100th Avenue Northeast, Northeast 124th Street and 116th Avenue Northeast between Juanita and the Kingsgate park-and-ride lot. See Map 2 for details
• Revise Dial-A-Ride Transit service area to match new routing, including service to the German Retirement Center, the industrial and retail area near Interstate 405 between Northeast 118th and Northeast 124th streets, and the area around Evergreen Hospital. See how to use DART service.
• Service levels: No change, except service would be improved to about every half hour during about two hours each in both the morning and afternoon rush hours.

Northshore, Kirkland, Juanita, Kingsgate rush-hour service and connections with Bellevue: (Map 3)

Route 230, Route 234, Route 237, Route 257, Route 258, Route 259, Route260, Route262, Route342

Why the changes?

• Improve rush-hour service on higher ridership routes to major destinations.
• Discontinue or revise service in lower-ridership areas to provide service every half-hour to more neighborhoods.
• Provide better frequency between major destinations by adding more evenly spaced trips to one route instead of keeping many routes traveling between the same places.
• Improve all-day service connecting Kingsgate and downtown Seattle.

What's new?

Route 230

• Revise route to serve multifamily housing along 124th Avenue Northeast, instead of traveling between downtown Kirkland and Totem Lake on 132nd Avenue Northeast.
• Some trips will travel to Northeast 80th Street to serve start and end times at Lake Washington High School.
• Revise route to serve more destinations in downtown Bellevue. Use Northeast Fourth Street instead of Northeast Eighth Street between Bellevue Way and the Bellevue Transit Center.
• See Bellevue boarding locations map for revised bus stops during the rebuilding of Bellevue Transit Center.
• Service level: More rush-hour trips to provide service every 15 minutes between the Bellevue and Kirkland transit centers and one later southbound trip weekdays from the Kingsgate park-and-ride lot to Bellevue Transit Center.
• What to do if your service has changed: Use new Route 238 for replacement service along 132nd Avenue Northeast.

Route 234

• Improve midday service to every 30 minutes.
• Revise route to serve higher ridership areas between Finn Hill and Juanita Junction, and along Northup Way and 116th Avenue Northeast to serve Overlake Hospital.
• See Bellevue boarding locations map for revised bus stops during the rebuilding of Bellevue Transit Center.
• What to do if your service has changed: Riders may use revised Dial-A-Ride Transit Route 935 on 84th Avenue Northeast, Northeast 123rd Street, Juanita Drive Northeast and Northeast Juanita Drive (see how to use DART service). Riders may use new Route 220 on 108th Avenue Northeast and 112th Avenue Northeast between the south Kirkland park-and-ride lot and downtown Bellevue.

Route 237

• Adjust the number of trips to meet rider demand. Delete one morning and one afternoon trip.
• Service level: Provide three morning trips from the Woodinville park-and-ride lot between and three return afternoon trips leaving Bellevue.

Route 257

• Combine routes 257 and 259 into a single route from the Kingsgate and Queensgate neighborhoods to Seattle. See Map 3.
• To reduce travel time, delete Route 257 stop at the Houghton park-and-ride freeway station (Interstate 405 and Northeast 70th Street). Trip times are adjusted.
• What to do if your route has changed: For alternative service at the Houghton park-and-ride lot, riders may board Route 252 at the Houghton freeway station or board Route 265 in the Houghton lot. Revised Route 257 will still serve 124th Avenue.

Discontinue Route 258

• Combine neighborhood service with Route 260 and offer more Seattle trips at the Kirkland Transit Center and south Kirkland park-and-ride lot.
• Alternative service: Riders boarding or exiting buses on 84th Avenue Northeast, Northeast 123rd Street, Northeast 122nd Street or Juanita Drive Northeast may ride revised Route 260 to and from Seattle. Riders also may take Route 260 to 98th Avenue and 116th Street to transfer to new Route 236 to reach downtown Kirkland. Riders boarding or exiting buses on 18th Avenue and Third Street in Kirkland may ride new Route 236 and transfer to Route 255 at the Kirkland Transit Center.

Discontinue Route 259

• Combine neighborhood service with Route 257 and offer more express trips at the Brickyard park-and-ride lot.
• Alternative service: Riders boarding or exiting buses on 119th Avenue Northeast or Northeast 144th Street may take revised Route 257 or use Route 311 at the Brickyard park-and-ride lot for service to and from downtown Seattle. Riders who now board Route 259 at the Kingsgate freeway station may use routes 252 or 257 inside the Kingsgate park-and-ride lot. Riders who now board at the Houghton park-and-ride freeway station may use Route 252 from the Houghton freeway stop or Route 265 from Houghton park-and-ride lot zones.

Route 260

• Discontinue service north of Northeast 141st Street and Juanita Drive Northeast.
• Revise Route 260 to replace Route 258 on 84th Avenue Northeast, Northeast 123rd Street, Northeast 122nd Street and Juanita Drive Northeast. See Map 3.
• What to do if your route has changed: Route 260 riders north of Northeast 141st Street may take Route 935 or Route 234 and transfer to Route 260 at 98th Avenue Northeast/Northeast 116th Street to reach downtown Seattle. Riders also can transfer from Route 234 in downtown Kirkland to Route 255 to reach downtown Seattle.

Discontinue Route 262

• Delete rush hour service in low ridership areas. Provide additional Seattle service at South Kirkland park-and-ride where most riders board.
• Alternative service: Alternative service is available on Route 238 north of Northeast 85th Street, on Route 220 and Route 256 on Northup Way, and Route 255 and Route 256 at the south Kirkland park-and-ride lot. No replacement service on 132nd Avenue Northeast (south of Northeast 85th Street), 134th Avenue Northeast, Northeast 36th Street and 130th/131st Avenue Northeast in the Bridle Trails neighborhood.

Route 342

• Add two morning trips leaving the Shoreline park-and-ride lot for the Renton Transit Center and two afternoon trips leaving the Renton Transit Center for the Shoreline lot.
• Revise route in downtown Renton to serve the newly opened Renton Transit Center.
• Also revise bus stops in downtown Bellevue. See Bellevue boarding locations map for revised bus stops during the rebuilding of Bellevue Transit Center.

Duvall, Woodinville, Bear Creek, Redmond, Houghton, Overlake, Crossroads/Lake Hills: (Map 4)

Route 232, Route 233, Route 239, Route 245, Route 250, Route 251, Route 256, Route 261, Route 265, Route 311, Route 920, Route 923, Route 926

Why the changes?

• Improve rush-hour service to Eastside employment centers and downtown Seattle.
• Run buses more often and for longer hours connecting Overlake with Eastside activity centers and regional transit service.
• Provide all-day service in areas that now have only rush-hour service.

What's new?

Route 232

• Operate new two-way express service between Redmond and Bellevue every half-hour during rush hours. See Map 4.
• Provide new rush hour service between Duvall and Redmond and Bellevue.
• Revise routing in downtown Bellevue. See Bellevue boarding locations map for revised bus stops during the rebuilding of Bellevue Transit Center.
• Service levels: Operate eight trips in the morning rush hours and eight trips in the afternoon rush hours between downtown Redmond and downtown Bellevue. During both the morning and afternoon rush hours, three of those eight trips will begin and end in English Hill, and five of those eight trips will begin and end in Duvall.

Route 233

• Revise to serve the commercial area along Bellevue-Redmond Road and the Bellevue Regional Library. Replace Route 249 service along Bellevue-Redmond Road between 156th Avenue Northeast and downtown Bellevue. See Map 4.
• Also revise bus stops in downtown Bellevue. See Bellevue boarding locations map for revised bus stops during the rebuilding of Bellevue Transit Center.
• Service levels: Operate every half-hour weekdays from about 6 a.m. to about 6 p.m. and hourly until about 9 p.m. On Saturday, operate hourly from about 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• What to do if your route has changed: Revised Route 249 will replace current Route 233 service on Northup Way between 156th Avenue Northeast and 116 Avenue Northeast. Also, revised Route 234 will replace current Route 233 service on 116th Avenue Northeast.

Discontinue Route 239

• Eliminate low-ridership rush-hour service; instead, provide all-day service between major activity centers and in growing multi-family areas.
• Alternative service: Use revised Route 230 for service along 124th Avenue Northeast and new Route 245 for service between downtown Kirkland and the Overlake employment area.

New Route 245

• Provide new all-day fixed-route service every day for the Overlake employment area from downtown Kirkland and Rose Hill to the west, and from Crossroads, Bellevue Community College, Eastgate and Factoria to the south. See Map 4.
• Replace service now provided by Route 923 as well as parts of routes 215 and 239.
• Service levels: Half-hour service on weekdays from about 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and hourly evenings until 10 p.m. Operate hourly Sunday from about 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Route 250

• Delete two afternoon trips and adjust departure times from downtown Seattle.

Route 251 Local and Express

• Replace Route 251 Express with new Route 265 between the Redmond and Houghton park-and-ride lots and downtown Seattle. See Route 265 for details.
• Discontinue local service between the Kirkland Transit Center and downtown Seattle. Continue to provide all-day service between Woodinville and the Kirkland Transit Center via Redmond. See Map 4.
• On weekdays, also serve Holly Hills and the North Creek and Monte Villa business parks north of Woodinville.
• Service levels: Operate hourly from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. During the morning and afternoon rush hours, one additional trip will provide service every 30 minutes. On Saturday, operate hourly from about 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• What to do if your service has changed: For Seattle-bound riders boarding in Woodinville, Redmond, Kirkland and the south Kirkland park-and-ride lot, use alternative service to and from Seattle. Riders north of the Bear Creek park-and-ride lot may transfer to and from Metro Route 268 at the Bear Creek lot. Riders also may transfer to Sound Transit Express Route 545/546 at the Redmond park-and-ride lot; to and from rush-hour Route 265 at the Redmond or Houghton park-and-ride lots; or to and from Route 255 in downtown Kirkland. Riders boarding or exiting along Lake Washington Boulevard may use the improved 15-minute service on Route 230 during rush hours (half-hour service at other times) to transfer with revised Route 255 at the south Kirkland park-and-ride lot, or with revised Route 251 in downtown Kirkland.

Route 256

• Discontinue two-way service. Operate service only from Seattle to the south Kirkland park-and-ride lot and the Overlake employment center during the morning rush hours and the opposite direction during afternoon rush hours.
• Service levels: Operate six trips in the morning and six in the afternoon to the south Kirkland park-and-ride lot with three of those trips extended to the current Route 256 terminal at 152nd Avenue Northeast and Northeast 29th Street.
• What to do if your service has changed: Route 255 will provide improved rush-hour service to Seattle from the south Kirkland park-and-ride lot. New Route 220 and revised Route 249 will provide two-way service along Northup Way and Northeast 20th Street.

Route 261

• Delete one morning and one afternoon trip and adjust trip times.
• Also revise bus stops in downtown Bellevue. See Bellevue boarding locations map for revised bus stops during the rebuilding of Bellevue Transit Center.

New Route 265

• Replace Route 251 Express between the Redmond park-and-ride lot and downtown Seattle via the Houghton park-and-ride lot with new Route 265. See Map 4.
• Eight trips in the morning and eight return trips in the afternoon.

Route 311

• Add one trip in the morning peak period and one trip in the afternoon peak period.
• The additional morning trip will operate between the Woodinville park-and-ride lot and downtown Seattle. The additional afternoon trip will serve Duvall, running from downtown Seattle to the Duvall terminal. The afternoon trip extends service about one half-hour later, leaving Fourth Avenue South and South Jackson Street in Seattle after 6 p.m.

Discontinue Route 920

• Replace low-ridership route serving 140th Avenue Northeast with new route connecting residential area to Redmond Town Center and south Kirkland park-and-ride regional service.
• Alternative service: See new Route 220 for service along 140th Avenue Northeast north of Northeast 20th Street; revised Route 230 and Route 277 for service along 124th Avenue Northeast between the Kingsgate park-and-ride lot and Northeast 85th Street; and new Route 245 for service along 80th Street.

Discontinue Route 923

• Expand successful neighborhood route by replacing with fixed-route service traveling to new destinations: Overlake employment area, downtown Kirkland and Factoria.
• Alternative service: See Route 245 or DART Route 926 for service connecting the Eastgate park-and-ride lot, Bellevue Community College, Lake Hills neighborhood and Crossroads Mall.

New DART Route 926

• Provide new all-day service between the Eastgate park-and-ride lot and Crossroads via Bellevue Community College, Southeast 22nd Street, Southeast 24th Street, 168th Avenue Southeast, Southeast 14th Street, 164th Avenue Southeast and Northeast Eighth Street. See Map 4.
• Provide Dial-a-Ride Transit service during the midday, with faster fixed-route service during rush hours. See how to use DART service.
• Service level: Weekday service every 30 minutes during rush hours and hourly during the midday.

I-90 service: Sammamish, Issaquah, Eastgate, Factoria, Seattle: (Map 5)

Route 200, Route 209, Route 210, Route 212, Route 214, Route 215, Route 217, Route 225, Route 229, Route 247, Route 269, Route 271, Route 927, ST Route 554, ST Route 555

Why the changes?

• Restructure Metro service in the Interstate 90 corridor around Sound Transit Regional Express Route 554 to improve connections with the regional service and reduce duplicate service
• Provide all-day, two-way express service between Issaquah and Seattle.
• Provide commuter service to Seattle from the unserved portion of Newport Way.

What's new?

Route 200

• Adjust schedules to provide connections with regional ST Route 554 and ST Route 555 service at the Issaquah park-and-ride lot.

Route 209

• Reinstate Saturday service discontinued in February 2000.
• Adjust schedule to provide convenient transfers to and from the new ST Route 554

Route 210

• Change routing to serve Newport Way instead of West Lake Sammamish Parkway between the Issaquah park-and-ride lot and Lakemont Boulevard Southeast. See Map 5.
• Discontinue one evening trip and adjust downtown Seattle departure times.
• Service level: five morning and five afternoon trips.
• What to do if your service has changed: See Route 271 for local service north of I-90 between Issaquah and Eastgate.

Route 212

• Add trips to offset reductions in Route 225 and 229 service.

Route 214

• Adjust service level to account for new ST Route 554.
• Service level: Eliminate one morning and one afternoon trip.

Discontinue Route 215

• ST Route 554 will largely replace Route 215 service connecting Issaquah, Eastgate and Seattle all day in both directions.
• Alternative service: Sound Transit Regional Express Route 554 partially replaces and improves Route 215 service by providing all-day, two-way express service between the Issaquah park-and-ride lot and downtown Seattle, with stops at the Eastgate and Mercer Island park-and-ride lots and the Rainier Avenue freeway station. Route 271 replaces service in downtown Issaquah and along West Lake Sammamish Parkway, with transfers to Route 554 at the Issaquah and Eastgate park-and-ride lots. Riders along 142nd Avenue Northeast and Southeast 36th Street may ride new Route 217 and Route 245.

New Route 217

• Add new route to replace Route 215 rush-hour service to I-90 employment centers.
• Provide new commuter route serving west-to-east commuters from downtown Seattle to Eastside employment centers in Eastgate and Issaquah. See Map 5.
• Service level: three morning and three afternoon trips

Route 225

• Discontinue service from Seattle in the morning and to Seattle in the afternoon, and reschedule remaining trips.
• What to do if your route has changed: Riders traveling eastbound during morning commute hours may use Metro Route 217 or Sound Transit Route 554 to the Eastgate park-and-ride lot. New Dial-A-Ride Transit Route 926 provides service on 168th Avenue Southeast and 164th Avenue Southeast to Northeast Eighth Street (see how to use DART service). New Route 245 provides service to Overlake employment sites via 156th Avenue Northeast.

Route 229

• Discontinue service from Seattle in the morning and to Seattle in the afternoon, and reschedule remaining trips.
• What to do if your route has changed: Riders traveling east during morning commute hours may use Metro Route 217 or Sound Transit Route 554 to the Eastgate park-and-ride lot. From the Eastgate lot, Route 245 provides service to the Overlake area via 156th Avenue Southeast/Northeast. Route 222 provides service north from the Eastgate lot to the Overlake employment area via 148th Avenue Southeast/Northeast and 152nd Avenue Northeast.

Route 247

• Revise and reinstate service discontinued in February 2000 between the Overlake area and the Renton and Kent Boeing employment areas via the Eastgate and south Renton park-and-ride lots. See Map 5.
• Service level: three trips southbound in the morning and three afternoon return trips.

Route 269

• Revise route to serve residential, office and retail development along lower Black Nugget Road. See Map 5.

Route 271

• Revise to serve the Eastgate park-and-ride lot and replace Route 215 service between the Eastgate and Issaquah park-and-ride lots. Also, extend into downtown Issaquah on weekday evenings and weekends to replace Route 215 service. See Map 5.
• Revise routing in downtown Bellevue to stop on 108th Avenue instead of within the Bellevue Transit Center. See Bellevue boarding locations map for revised bus stops during the rebuilding of Bellevue Transit Center.
• Service level: no change.
• What to do if your route has changed: Current riders along Southeast Eastgate Way east of 150th Avenue Southeast may use Route 217 for travel from Seattle in the morning rush hour and to Seattle in the afternoon rush hours.

Route 927

• Revise route to serve residential, office and retail development along lower Black Nugget Road and at the intersection of East Lake Sammamish Parkway and Issaquah-Fall City Road to avoid congestion, reduce travel time and improve reliability. See Map 3.
• Operate service earlier, starting at 6 a.m. instead 8 a.m. Adjust schedule to provide convenient transfers to and from the new Sound Transit Regional Express Route 554

New Sound Transit Routes 554 and 555

• Sound Transit Route 554 will provide a new all-day express connection every day via I-90 between the Issaquah park-and-ride lot and downtown Seattle, with stops at the Eastgate and Mercer Island park-and-ride lots and the Rainier Avenue freeway station. See Map 5.
• Service levels: Weekdays and Saturday service every 30 minutes from about 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and hourly until about 11 p.m. Sunday service operates every 60 minutes from about 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Sound Transit Route 555 will provide a rush-hour-only two-way express connection along I-90, Interstate 405, State Route 520 and Interstate 5 between the Northgate Transit Center and the Issaquah park-and-ride lot, with a stop at the Bellevue Transit Center.
• Service levels: Operates every 30 minutes in both directions.

Additional Major Changes to Eastside Service: (Map 6)

Route 220, Route 240, Route 249, Route 266, Route 277, Route 922

New Route 220

• Serve new destinations including Redmond Town Center and the neighborhood along 140th Avenue Northeast to improve ridership and new midday service along Northup Way connecting to regional service at the south Kirkland park-and-ride lot. See Map 6.
• Service level: Weekdays from about 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., operate every half-hour during rush hours and hourly at other times.

Route 240

• Run service more often and later in the day between Bellevue and Renton via Factoria and Newport Hills.
• Reroute in downtown Bellevue to serve the commercial area along 106th Avenue Northeast. See Bellevue boarding locations map for revised bus stops during the rebuilding of Bellevue Transit Center.
• Service level: Weekdays every 30 minutes from about 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. and hourly until about midnight, Saturday every 30 minutes from about 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and hourly until about 11 p.m., and hourly Sundays from about 8:30 a.m. and 11 p.m.

Route 249

• Provide service earlier, later and more often.
• Revise route west of 156th Avenue Northeast to replace Route 233 service on Northeast 20th Street, Northup Way and 116th Avenue Northeast, instead of on Bellevue-Redmond Road. See Map 6.
• Also revise bus stops in downtown Bellevue. See Bellevue boarding locations map for revised bus stops during the rebuilding of Bellevue Transit Center.
• Service levels: Weekdays, operate every half-hour during a limited rush hour and hourly midday and evening until about 8 p.m. On Saturday, operate hourly from about 7:45 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• What to do if your route has changed: Use revised Route 233 for service on Bellevue-Redmond Road.

Route 266

• Discontinue one morning and one afternoon trip.

Route 277

• Reroute to provide improved access in the Rose Hill neighborhood. Trip times will be adjusted to keep current University District times constant. See Map 6.
• Service level: No change, but trip times will be adjusted.

Route 922

• Discontinue Dial-A-Ride Transit service, and operate as a fixed route.

DART routes offer variable routing within a specific service area. Riders can wait at any bus stop along the route for regularly scheduled trips. During non-rush hours, riders desiring pickup or drop-off closer to their origin or destination can reserve service by calling 425-426-7249, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Reservations must be made at least two hours in advance and may be made up to 30 days in advance. Reservations are scheduled first come, first served.

Only a few off-route deviations can be made on any given trip. DART vans can deviate from their fixed route to serve other locations within the service area, but they may not necessarily provide door-to-door service because of safety and other operational considerations.

Special Rider Alert brochure and timetables available Sept. 19

Look for a special Rider Alert brochure and new orange timetables on your bus and at Metro information racks, work sites and libraries on Sept. 19. The special Rider Alert will be available on Metro Online.

Timetables will be available on Metro Online by close of business Sept. 28. Watch for Rider Alert signs at your bus stop.

For trip planning help, call Metro Rider Information at 206-553-3000 after Sept. 15.

Some minor changes may occur after this publication has been printed.

Besides the changes described in this publication, September service changes are planned for south King County, Seattle and northwest King County.

Note: Some approved service changes and improvements will not be made until February 2002, including new Route 216, a rush-hour route between the Sammamish plateau and downtown Seattle.

If you would like paper copies of this document, call the community relations hot line at 206-684-1146 (voice), 206-684-1682 (TTY users) or 206-689-3489 (fax), or write Transportation Community Relations, KSC-TR-0824, 201 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104-3856.

Look for the Special Rider Alert brochure and new orange timetables on your bus and at Metro information racks, work sites and libraries on Sept. 19.

You can get general information now about the service changes by calling Metro Transit Rider Information. You can get specific trip planning help from Rider Information after Sept. 15.

Rider Information 206-553-3000
Toll-free 800-542-7876
TTY users 206-684-1739

To get this information in alternative formats for people with disabilities, call 206-684-1146 (voice) or 206-684-1682 (TTY).

Produced by Community Relations and Communications, King County Department of Transportation, August 2001.

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