Help us finalize bus service changes in Capitol Hill, Central District, First Hill, and Madison Valley
The Madison Street Area Bus Service Change Project survey is closed. Thank you for participating! We’re reviewing your feedback and will share our phase two community engagement summary by the end of the year. We will send the final bus network to the King County Council in 2024.
These bus service changes will support the new RapidRide G Line, a partnership between King County Metro and the Seattle Department of Transportation, to bring riders more frequent and reliable service to Downtown Seattle, First Hill, Capitol Hill, Central District and Madison Valley.
To learn more about the construction on the RapidRide G Line Project visit SDOT’s website.
Why is Metro changing bus service?
With the new RapidRide G Line set to bring more frequent and reliable service to the Madison Street area in late 2024, Metro is updating bus routes in the area so riders can better connect to public transportation and get to where they need to go.
In Spring 2023, Metro collected feedback during our first phase of engagement from riders and community members on the proposed pathway changes to routes 10, 11, 12 and 47. Metro took rider and community feedback, along with equity and service analyses, to inform our decision making.
How does Metro make decisions about bus service changes?
What did we learn?
During phase one of engagement, Metro received online and in-person feedback from riders and community members that attended our open houses and pop-up events. The feedback from the 2,027 who filled out the survey and the 267 who spoke to us at our open houses and pop-up events, along with the equity and service analyses, helped inform Metro’s decision making.
Routes 10, 11 and 12
- The Route 10 and Route 12 proposals were supported by respondents to bring more frequent service to important destinations along Pike Street and Pine Street.
- The Route 11 proposal was supported by more than half of survey respondents. The Route 11 proposal (along with the Route 8) would provide all-day, all-week, frequent service between destinations along Olive Way, John Street, and Thomas Street – such as the Capitol Hill Station, Safeway, Kaiser Permanente, Meany Middle School, and more.
Currently Suspended Route 47
- The proposal to permanently remove Route 47 was supported by less than a quarter of survey respondents. In addition, Metro found that people living with a physical disability were much less likely to support the proposal to permanently remove Route 47 than people not living with a physical disability.
- Community members informed Metro staff that accessing transit can be challenging for some people living with mobility issues in this densely populated part of Capitol Hill given the steep hills that run east and west.
To find out more about what we learned, check out our Phase One Community Engagement Summary Report.
What are we doing?
Routes 10, 11 and 12
Metro is moving forward with the proposed changes for routes 10, 11 and 12 to:
- Provide frequent service to important destinations along Pike Street, Pine Street, Olive Way, and John Street where priority transportation needs are greatest, and where rider demand is highest.
- Connect communities along 15th Ave and 19th Ave to destinations along Pike Street and Pine Street, and to Sound Transit light rail at Westlake Station.
- Reduce duplication with the new RapidRide G Line by re-orienting routes 11 and 12 off some segments of Madison Street – where the G Line will operate.
Currently Suspended Route 47
Metro is still evaluating bus service changes in the Summit neighborhood:
- Between 2015 and 2020 the Summit neighborhood was served by half-hourly service 7 days a week, on Summit Ave and Bellevue Ave by Route 47. In early 2020, it was suspended due to COVID impacts and the loss of City of Seattle operational funding.
- Based on rider and community feedback received during phase one engagement, along with equity and service analyses, Metro is exploring two options to help serve western Capitol Hill and we need your feedback in deciding which option should move forward.
Option A Route Proposal
Increase frequency on revised routes 10, 11, 12 and 49, compared to Option B. Like today, no service would operate on Summit and Bellevue Ave north of Olive Way.
Proposed bus service schedule for Option A
To view current schedules for Routes 10, 11, 12 and 49 check out Metro’s Schedules Webpage.
Benefits
- Would allow Metro to add service on revised routes 10, 11, 12 and Route 49 compared to Option B.
Tradeoffs
- Customers traveling to or from the Summit neighborhood would need to use routes 8 and 11 along Olive Way, or routes 49 and 60 on Broadway.
- The hill running east-west between Bellevue Ave and Broadway is steep and challenging for some people traveling to access bus routes along Broadway such as routes 49 and 60.
Option B Route Proposal
Extend some Route 3 trips* to add new bus service to Bellevue Ave and Summit Ave north of Olive Way. Buses would come less often on revised routes 10, 11, 12 and Route 49 compared to Option A.
*Service levels for current routes 3 and 4 in Queen Anne, Uptown, First Hill and Central District would be similar to what they are today.
Proposed bus service schedule for Option B
To view current schedules for Routes 10, 11, 12 and 49 check out Metro’s Schedules Webpage.
Benefits
- Would bring back bus service to Bellevue Ave and Summit Ave in western Capitol Hill where steep hills make it difficult to access nearby transit for some riders.
- Would create new direct connections from Bellevue Ave and Summit Ave by connecting riders directly to the new RapidRide G Line, Central downtown Seattle, and First Hill destinations including medical centers, hospitals and Seattle University.
Tradeoffs
- Buses would come less often on revised routes 10, 11, 12 and Route 49 compared to Option A.
- Some Route 3 trips* that start or end in Madrona (east of 23rd Ave) would be reoriented from Queen Anne to serve Bellevue Ave and Summit Ave in western Capitol Hill. Madrona riders looking to travel to and from Uptown or Queen Anne could take the Route 2, Route 8, or transfer in downtown Seattle to reach their destination.
*Service levels for current routes 3 and 4 in Queen Anne, Uptown, First Hill, and Central District would continue to be similar to what they are today.
City of Seattle Transit Streets
All pathway changes to Metro bus routes for Option A and Option B are pending approval from the City of Seattle.
Seattle Transit Measure Funding Changes
- The City of Seattle is planning to change where Seattle Transit Measure (STM) will fund service in the project area. Proposed changes in STM service investments are reflected in both frequency tables for Options A and B.
Project Process and Timeline
Spring 2023 Phase 1 – Shared and collected feedback on proposed bus route changes
- Shared service proposals with the public and riders for feedback.
- Provided information to priority populations through online and in-person engagement.
- Provided materials in multiple languages for website, survey, and flyers, including in person engagement.
- Gathered feedback from bus operators.
- Updated members of the Seattle City and King County Councils on the proposed plans.
Summer 2023 Phase 2 – Share and collect feedback on updated proposed bus route changes
- Share updated service proposals with the public and riders and gather feedback to further refine bus route changes.
- Explain how the service proposals evolved from phase 1 engagement using public input, equity analysis, and Metro and Seattle's operational budget commitments.
- Continue outreach through online and in-person engagement.
- Gather feedback from bus operators.
- Update members of the Seattle City and King County Councils on the proposed plans.
- Finalize equity analysis.
Spring 2024 – Prepare and finalize service launch
- Submit final service network to Metro Executive Office.
- King County Executive submits final service network to King County Council for adoption.
- Plan for community education and implementation.
- Prepare and finalize service launch for Fall 2024.
Events
Join us at our in-person events to learn more about the project. Project staff will be available to answer questions and share project information. Come talk with our team!
Open houses
Pop-up events
Thursday, August 3 - 10:00AM to 1:00PM
Seattle Central College
1701 Broadway
Sunday, August 6 - 11:00AM to 2:00PM
Seattle First Baptist Church
111 Harvard Ave
Thursday, August 10 - 10:00AM to 12:00PM
Virginia Mason Medical Center
925 Seneca St
Sunday, August 20 - 11:00AM to 3:00PM
Capitol Hill Famers Market
E Barbara Bailey Way
Sunday, August 27 - 12:00PM to 5:00PM
Gay City: Queer Summer Market
400 E Pine St
Thursday, August 31 - 4:00PM to 6:00PM
Community Roots Housing
12th Avenue Arts; 1620 12th Ave
