King County Metro’s Projects in 2025 and Beyond
The end of 2024 culminated in many King County Metro Bus projects such as new bus cameras, Lynnwood Link restructures, and RapidRide G. This article will briefly explore Metro's 2025 and near future projects.
RapidRideFrom the recent RapidRide prioritization reports, Metro plans to build the RapidRide I line (Renton via Kent to Auburn) by 2027 and the RapidRide J line (Downtown Seattle to U District) by 2027. Notably on January 15, 2025 the RapidRide I line received a $79.7 million dollar federal grant.
| RapidRide | 2023-2024 | 2025-2026 | 2027-2028 | Beyond |
| G Line | Completed | |||
| H Line | Completed | |||
| I Line | Design | Construction | 2027 Completion | |
| J Line | Project Planning and Design | Construction | 2027 Completion | |
| K Line | Project Planning and Design | Design and Construction | Construction | 2030 Completion |
| R Line | Project Planning | Project Planning and Design | Construction | 2031 Completion |
Other smaller corridor improvements were listed as well in the KC Metro Transit Development Plan 2023-2028.
| Corridor | 2023-2024 | 2025-2026 | 2027-2028 | Type |
| Route 44 | Completed | Seattle Partnership | ||
| Route 48 | Construction and Completed | Seattle Partnership | ||
| Route 40 | Design and Construction | Completed | Seattle Partnership | |
| Route 165 | Project Planning and Design | Construction and Completion | Metro Led | |
| Route 181 | Project Planning and Design | Construction and Completion | Metro Led | |
| Route 36 | Project Planning and Design | Design and Construction | Construction and Completion | Metro Led |
| Route 5 | Project Planning and Design | Design and Construction | Construction and Completion | Metro Led |
| N 130th St (east of I-5) | Project Planning and Design | Design and Construction | Construction and Completion | Seattle Partnership |
| Harrison Street | Project Planning | Design | Design and Construction | Seattle Partnership |
| Bellevue Connector | Design | Design | Design and Construction | Bellevue Partnership |
Below the article will describe some of the projects in the budget reports, emphasizing those with the greatest potential impact, those of special interest, or those receiving new funding in 2025.
ElectrificationElectrical bus baseThe South Annex Base will be allocated around $380 million dollars. This is the bulk of transit funding for capital improvements out of $525 million. This will allow King County Metro to support and host 250 Battery Electric Buses.
Other Electrification fundingZero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Planning is funded $5.1 million dollars to plan for battery electric buses.
Electric Vehicle Charging Program Budget is funded $2.0 million dollars to continue building charging infrastructure.
Montlake Trolley Overhead ReplacementThe currently delayed project to replace 27 trolley poles. These serve Route 48 and will allow for future route electrification. (The original trolley infrastructure was removed for the new Montlake lid).
State Route 520 Portage Bay Bridge Roanoke TrolleyDelayed funding to 2026/2027 when they will remove and then re-install electric trolley infrastructure on the new Roanake Lid over SR-520. This impacts Route 49 from U District to Capitol Hill.
Link Bus Stops Federal Way Link bus stopsInvestments made at Kent Des Moines (4 stops), Star Lake Station (1 stop) and Federal Way Downtown Station (1 stop). New / relocated bus stops, new shelters, benches real time bus arrival information and wayfinding signs.
130th Link bus stops
The project will install one new eastbound bus stop and one westbound bus stop. Additionally a northbound bus stop might be added.
Bellevue Transit Center Passenger ImprovementsBellevue Transit Center will install new realtime arrival signs (RTIS) with consolidated arrival departure board, new LED lighting, and new wayfinding. Bus Only" paint will be added to bus entry and exit points to help avoid bus and pedestrian conflicts.
The consolidated arrival and departures boards will consolidate and show information across Sound Transit, Link Light Rail, Stride BRT, and King County buses.
3rd Ave ITS Kiosk Replacement
ITS Kiosk
KCM technology pylonUp to 16 SDOT ITS kiosks (shown above) on 3rd Avenue will be replaced with the KCM owned technology pylons instead. Unfortunately the 3rd Avenue kiosks keep being damaged. The overhead signs seem to have less vandalism and hopefully will last longer.
Other Bus ImprovementsBus Driver Comfort stationsMetro will be building bus driver comfort stations at Northgate Transit Center and Westwood Village. The comfort stations add restrooms and break space for bus drivers whose routes terminate at these locations.
Route 36 Corridor Improvements
Route 36 corridor improvements study by King County MetroRoute 36 is allocated $7.2 million dollars to improve it with BAT lanes and/or transit signal priority. Might possibly move the trolley wires to accommodate any proposed improvements.
Greenwood Corridor Improvements
Route 5 improvements study by King County MetroGreenwood Avenue for between N 67th St and N 145th St is allocated $1.6 million for designing and constructing transit speed and reliability improvements for Route 5. The improvements likely consist of BAT lanes.
SW King County NextGen Transit Signal Priority
NextGen Transit signal priorityTransit Signal Priority (TSP) will be installed for Route 131, Route 132 and Route 124. It'll use the new next-gen centralized TSP and hopefully speed up buses to Burien and Tukwila. The new TSP will communicate with a centralized server that doesn't require new custom road-side hardware, reducing the cost to install new TSP at intersections.
Real Estate Opportunities / Shoreline AccessCurrently $25.1 million is allocated to support purchase of property that suits electrification of buses or future bus bases. Notably, KCM is looking for a new bus base site for their Access vans since Shoreline intends to evict the current site.
RapidRide L LineThis project will choose the next route for RapidRide conversion via the RapidRide prioritization effort concluding in 2024 or early 2025. (Likely Route 36 or Route 150)
Further Reading