Don’t 'pass' up a great opportunity to make your Metro ride easier
If you think riding the bus removes a lot of stress from your life, you should try it with a Metro pass. No more digging in your pocket or purse for the correct fare. With just a swipe of the pass, you are on board and ready to travel.
King County Metro Transit has a wide variety of passes to meet the travel needs of most passengers. And, it’s getting easier and easier to purchase a pass.
In the past few weeks, the QFC grocery chain has become Metro’s newest retail partner for bus pass sales. The addition of QFC to Metro’s retail network — which has included Bartell Drugs for many years —
nearly doubles the number of pass sales locations. Now, select passes and Metro ticketbooks are sold at more than
125 locations throughout Seattle and King County. Almost every city and neighborhood in King County is now covered with convenient locations for bus pass and ticketbook purchases.
Metro passengers who use a pass or ticketbook, enjoy the convenience of not having to pay cash each time they ride the bus. Also, many employers underwrite all or a portion of the cost of passes, so passengers can purchase passes with cash or Commuter Bonus Vouchers. Credit cards, debit cards and checks are generally not accepted at the retail outlets.
During the summer, one of the more popular items is the Metro Visitor Pass. The $5 Visitor Pass is good for one day of unlimited travel on Metro buses throughout King County including the cities of Seattle, Bellevue and SeaTac, and you don’t have to be an out-of-towner to buy one. These passes must be bought before you board, they are not available on buses.
Another “hot ticket” is a book of 20 tickets worth 50 cents each. That’s because 50 cents is the fare for youth ages 6-17 to travel anywhere Metro goes, and when school is out it’s fun to ride the bus to the zoo, mall, or even Wild Waves (which can be done with a free transfer to a Pierce Transit bus).
In addition to the retail outlets, Metro has all of its products for sale online, over the phone, by mail, or at two locations staffed by its own employees. Passes go on sale on or about the fifteenth day of the month for passes valid the following month. Ticketbooks and Visitor Passes are sold at all times. Many of the passes sold are also good on Sound Transit, Pierce Transit, Community Transit, Everett Transit, and select passes are good on the Washington State Ferries.
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Juanita neighborhood gets road upgrades
The King County Road Services Division will begin a series of improvements to the “Goat Hill” neighborhood in Juanita this week. The projects, which are centered around 116th and 117th Place just north of Juanita Drive, will include: widening; drainage improvements; roadway illumination; and increased sight distances for drivers. Currently, most of the streets in the neighborhood are only wide enough for one car at a time.
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Transit service on Fourth of July
On Friday, July 4, Metro and Sound Transit service will operate on a Sunday schedule, but there will be extra trips on the George Benson Waterfront Streetcar to accommodate the crowds attending the holiday festivities on the Seattle waterfront. The Benson Streetcar is free all day on the Fourth.
Also, the Elliott Bay Water Taxi between Seattle and West Seattle will operate on a Saturday schedule on the holiday. Extra sailings will be available as necessary after 11 p.m. to accommodate attendees of the fireworks show. The Water Taxi will be free after 7 p.m. on July 4.
For all the details about holiday service and what’s open at Metro on the Fourth, visit Metro Online.
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Ridematch gets results
Recently, Metro’s Rideshare Operations launched a Ridematch campaign in conjunction with the state
Department of Transportation’s annual Spring Relax promotion. The program provides incentives to commuters who choose an
alternative to driving alone.
Locally, the Ridematch promotion resulted in 3,500 Ridematch participants, of which 2,000 were first-time
registrants. More than 70 employers responded via response cards that they had supported the promotion
by distributing flyers and emails to their employees.
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Paving will cause short closures at park and ride lots over the summer
Metro is repaving several of its park and ride lots this summer, resulting in weekend closures around the county. Lots scheduled for paving this summer include: Kingsgate; South Bellevue; Kent-Des Moines; Federal Way; and South Federal Way.
All the dates are weather dependent, and as much notice as possible will be given if a cancellation is necessary. Many of the lots will be completed in two phases, so park and ride users should watch for more than one closure.
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Watch for road work in these locations
Here is a list of King County Department of Transportation projects that may disrupt traffic and travel this week:
» 55th Avenue South at South 277th Street, in the Kent Valley — 55th Avenue will be closed 300 feet south of South 277th Street from Monday, June 30 to Thursday, July 3 for culvert replacement;
» Sahalee Way Northeast at State Route 202, north of Sammamish — Crews will be working on signal and lane improvements into August; traffic disruptions will be intermittent;
» Dockton Road Southwest on Vashon Island — Closed through September, while crews rebuild the seawall;
» Southeast 248th Street, east of Lake Wilderness — Closed through August 20 to replace the Cedar River Trail trestle over the roadway and the wooden culvert underneath the street;
» Ames Lake Trestle, east of Carnation — Ames Lake-Carnation Road, just south of West Snoqualmie Valley Road Northeast, closed through mid July;
» Preston Bridge — Southeast 82nd Street over the Raging River is closed through October.
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