East Link Restructure Final Proposal
Metro's final proposal on the East Link restructure is out. Only it's not really final.
Final Network review (January - March 2024): Due to delays with the opening of the East Link Extension, Metro is meeting with project partners to ensure the proposed East Link Connections network that it continues to meet community needs. Metro will engage its Mobility Board and Partner Review Board to address any changes in mobility needs that may have occurred since finalizing the network in 2022."
So it's asking the review boards and cities for any updates now. It doesn't say it's asking the public, but you can send feedback to Metro about anything anytime. The restructure will go into effect when the full 2 Line opens in 2025. A starter line will open in two months between South Bellevue and Redmond Tech, but Metro hasn't announced any changes for that yet.
Metro's page has four network maps, and links to the original route PDFs. Revisions since the phase 2 proposal are listed at the bottom of the network maps:
Proposed routing on All Day RTS [routes]: 111, 203, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 240, 245, 249, 251, 269 and Peak-Only RT 630 has changed between Phases 2 and 3. RT 111 is revised in Renton, RT 203 is revised in Issaquah and RT 630 is revised in Downtown Seattle. Rt 220 is new in Phase 3.
So let's take a look at the routes. Link stations the routes serve are in bold. Frequencies are in this format: peak, weekday, evening / weekend, weekend evening". So 15, 15, 30 / 15, 30 / ends 9pm" is frequent daytime, infrequent evenings, and the last weekday run is at 9pm. (Weekend last runs maybe different.) Two numbers like 30-60" means a range within the time period.
BellevueRapidRide B (10, 15, 15 / 15, 15 / ends 12:30am): Bellevue Downtown, NE 8th, 156th, Redmond Tech, 148th, NE 90th, Redmond TC, Downtown Redmond. Unlike the current route it remains on 156th rather than detouring to Overlake Village station (4 blocks away), and it's extended to Downtown Redmond station.
111, 240, 250, 256, 342, 554: See Issaquah, Renton, or Kirkland sections.
220 (15, 15, 30 / 30-60, 60 / ends midnight): Bellevue Downtown, East Main, 112th, Lake Hills Connector, 145th Place, Bellevue College, Eastlake P&R. Replaces part of route 271.
223 (20, 30, 30-60 / 30-60, 60 / ends midnight): Downtown Redmond, 148th, Overlake Village, 156th (between NE 8th and Lake Hills Blvd), Bellevue College, Eastlake P&R. Replaces parts of routes 221 and 226.
226 (20, 30, 30-60 / 30-60, 60 / ends midnight): Bellevue Downtown, NE 10th hospitals, Bel-Red Road, Interlake High School (HS), 164th, Bellevue College, Eastgate Way, South Bellevue. Like the current route but straightened out on 164th and extended to South Bellevue station. It's a 21-minute walk away from Overlake Village station. Peak frequency is higher than current; Saturday is partly lower; Sunday is partly higher.
245 (15, 15, 30-60 / 30-60, 60 / ends midnight): Kirkland, NE 70th, Redmond Tech, 156th, Main Street, 145th Place, Bellevue College, Eastgate P&R. Like current but without the Factoria tail.
249 (30, 30, 60 / 45, 60 / ends 10pm): Current route from South Bellevue station to Enatai and Bellevue TC, then replacing the 271 in Medina, then Clyde Hill, South Kirkland P&R, Nothup Way, to Spring District Station.
270 (15, 15, 15-30 / 30-60, 60 / ends 10pm): U-District, UW, north Bellevue Way, Bellevue Downtown.
Metro Flex (on demand / ends 11pm): An app-summoned taxi serving Crossroads, Overlake, areas east of 164th that lose fixed-route service, and Overlake Village and Redmond Tech stations. The service area boundaries are 140th, 520, NE 51st, Lake Sammamish, and NE 8th, plus an extension to south of Main Street between 140th and 148th. This is a two-year pilot project, similar to an earlier Crossroads Connect pilot.
Mercer Island / Issaquah / North Bend203 (20, 30, 30-60 / 30, 30 / ends midnight): South Bellevue, Factoria, Newport Way, Issaquah TC, north Issaquah (NW Sammamish Road), Issaquah Highlands P&R.
204 (30, 60, none / 60, none / ends 6pm): Mercer Island local route.
215 (Issaquah 15, 30, 30 / Saturday 15, 30 / Sunday 20, 30; North Bend 45, 90, 90 / none; ends 8pm): Mercer Island express to Issaquah Highlands P&R. Every third run weekdays continues to Snoqualmie Ridge, Snoqualmie, and North Bend.
218 (peak only 15 min): Mercer Island express to Issaquah Highlands P&R.
269 (15, 30, 30 / 30, none / ends 8pm): Mercer Island express to Issaquah Highlands P&R, Sammamish, Marymoor Village, Redmond Downtown.
Routes 215, 216, and 269 overlap to provide express service between Mercer Island and Issaquah Highlands P&R. They do not serve central Issaquah. Combined frequency is better than 15 minutes peak hours; 15 minutes weekdays until 8pm; 15 minutes weekends until 6:45pm.
554 (10, 10-15, 15-30 / 15, 15-30 / ends 12:30pm): Bellevue Downtown, south Bellevue Way, South Bellevue, Issaquah TC, central Issaquah (Gilman Blvd, City Hall, Sunset Way). Some early/late trips continue north to Issaquah Highlands P&R and Sammamish. It will no longer go to Mercer Island or Seattle. It replaces routes 550 and 556 between Issaquah and Bellevue. It now serves more local stops in central Issaquah.
630 (peak only 30 min): Mercer Island - First Hill express. Serves Mercer Island and Judkins Park stations.
Renton111 (15, 30, 30 / 30, 30; ends 9pm): Maplewood Heighs, east Renton Highlands, Kennydale, express to South Bellevue.
240 (15, 15, 15-30 / 30, 60, ends 11pm): Renton TC, The Landing, Renton Highlands, Coal Creek Pkwy, Factoria, Eastgate P&R, backtrack to South Bellevue, 108th, Downtown Bellevue.
342 (peak only 30-45 min): South Renton P&R, Renton TC, freeway stations to Bellevue Downtown, freeway stations to Bothell, Bothell Way, Ballinger Way, Aurora Village, Shoreline P&R.
Kirkland/Redmond/Bothell/Woodinville230, 231, 239, and 255 are unchanged.
223, 245, 250, 342: See Bellevue or Renton sections.
222 (30, 30, 60 / 60, 60 / ends midnight): Overlake Village, NE 24th, West Lake Sammamish Parkway, Downtown Redmond, Education Hill, Avondale Road.
224 (60, 60, none / none; ends 8pm): Downtown Redmond, Redmond Ridge, Duvall.
225 (30, 30, 60 / 30, 60 / ends 9:45pm): Overlake Village, 148th, NE 70th, 132nd, Totem Lake, Kenmore P&R.
250 (15, 15, 30 / 30, 30, ends 11:15pm): Bellevue Downtown, NE 10th hospitals, 116th, South Kirkland P&R, Lake Washington Blvd, Kirkland TC, NE 85th, Downtown Redmond, Avondale Road.
251 (30, 60, 60 / 30, 60; ends 9pm): Marymoor Village, Downtown Redmond, Woodinville-Redmond Road, Woodinville P&R.
256 (peak only 12-30): Woodinville P&R, freeway stations on 405 and 520, South Lake Union, downtown Seattle.
542 (10-15, 15, 30 / 15-60, 60 / ends 12:30am): Bear Creek P&R, Downtown Redmond, Redmond Tech, UW, U-District.
544 (peak only 10-15 min): Overlake Village, Redmond Tech, Westlake (downtown Seattle). Replaces part of route 545 peak hours.
930 (30, 30, 60 / 60, none; ends 10pm): Downtown Redmond, Willows Road, Totem Lake, Kingsgate P&R.
931 (peak only 30 min): Duvall, Woodinville, UW Bothell.
Seattle8 (10-15, 15 / Saturday 15, 30 / Sunday 20, 30 / ends 12:15am): Remain on 23rd between Yesler Way and S Massachusetts Street to serve Judkins Park station. The rest of the route continues to serve Uptown, Capitol Hill station, MLK, and Mt Baker station. The 23rd Avenue detour is extended from 2 blocks to 10 blocks.
542, 544, 630: See Redmond or Mercer Island section.
The 2 Link will overlap with the 1 Line between Chinatown/International District and Lynnwood, for a combined frequency of 4 minutes peak, 5 minutes off-peak.
ConclusionI'll let the Comments Section evaluate the merits of this restructure. Metro is consulting with the review boards and cities until March for any last-minute changes, and then it will go to the county council for approval. It's not asking for public feedback at this time, but you can send your opinion anyway to the email address on Metro's page (haveasay at kingcounty gov), use the Metro contact form, talk with your mayor or city councilmembers, or go to the future county council hearing. Other than that, comment away.