Draft SIP Offers Vision of Vastly-Different 2025 ST Express Network

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Sound Transit's recently-released Draft 2019 Service Implementation Plan is a data-dense tome covering the next round of ST Express route restructures, ridership and performance data, Title VI analyses, and more. This year's edition offers a vision of how ST Express service might look in 2025 (pages 85-110), after five more Link extensions and the opening of Sound Transit's first two Bus Rapid Transit routes, but laid out opening by opening. Transit network efficiency geeks, salivate thereon. It's time to play Sim-ST!

Once Northgate Link opens (2021, page 93):

• Some of the Snohomish-County-to-Seattle routes (510, 511, 512, and 513) could be truncated at Northgate Station.
• Route 522 is planned to be truncated at Northgate or Roosevelt Station.
• Route 542 is planned to be truncated at the U-District instead of continuing on to Green Lake Park & Ride.
• Routes 555 and 556 could be restructured between the U-District and Northgate Stations. Since route 555 does not serve the U-District, part of that restructure would presumably be to just have route 556. No specific restructure between the U-District and Northgate is proposed. So, truncation seems to be the default proposal.
• Route 586 is planned to be eliminated. Past SIPs have mentioned a possible route 591 from Tacoma to north downtown, but this SIP merely says service hours will be reinvested in the I-5 South corridor.

Once East Link opens (2023):

• Route 540 is planned to remain the same as today. The SIP does not mention the route 544 proposal that would eliminate route 540 in favor of investing its service hours in a restructured route 255 that would serve UW Station.
• Route 541 is planned to be eliminated, presuming it hasn't already been in favor of route 544.
• Route 542 is planned to continue as shortened after the Northgate Link restructure, and run all day and all week.
• Route 545 could become a frequent peak-only route between Bear Creak Park & Ride, Redmond Transit Center, and South Lake Union, not serving Redmond Technology Center Station or Capitol Hill.
• Route 550 is planned to be eliminated.
• Routes 555 and 556 could be eliminated, consolidating north-Bellevue-to-UW service to King County Metro route 271 and Bellevue-Issaquah service to route 554.

Once Downtown Redmond Link opens (2024):

The bus routes are not expected to change, but they will continue to service Redmond TC, which will be several blocks from the new Downtown Redmond Station, and are not expected to serve the station.

Once Lynnwood Link opens (2024):

• Route 510 would get a huge bump in service hours, and provide frequent all-day connection between Downtown Everett, South Everett Park & Ride, Ash Way Park & Ride and Lynnwood City Center Station.
• Route 511 would become a peak frequent bi-directional service between Seaway Transit Center, Eastmont P&R, Ash Way P&R, and Lynnwood City Center Station.
• Routes 512 and 513 would be eliminated.

Once Federal Way Link opens (2024):

• Route 574 could be extended to Burien TC and Westwood Village.
• Route 577 would be eliminated.
• Routes 578, 590, 592, and 594 could be truncated at Federal Way P&R Station.
• Route 595 would remain as it is today, running express between Tacoma Community College TC and downtown Seattle.

Once SR 522 / NE 145th BRT opens (2024):

Route 522 would remain as a peak connection between Roosevelt or Northgate Station and SR 522 destinations through UW Bothell.

The segment between UW Bothell and Woodinville P&R might remain in the BRT route depending on a ridership study to be conducted after Northgate Link opens.

Once I-405 BRT opens (2024):

• Route 532 would continue providing peak service between Everett and Bellevue, and add the stop on campus at UW Bothell.
• Routes 535 and 560 are planned to be eliminated.
• Routes 566 and 567 would continue much as they are today.
• Route 574 could be extended to serve Burien TC and Westwood Village.

Frank Chiachiere assisted with this post.