Michael lives in Rainier Valley and primarily rides Route 7 and the 1 Line. Originally from Philadelphia, he lived in Singapore for 10 years where he learned the value of a great public transportation system. Michael has called Seattle home since 2020.
Everett Transit will be absorbed into Community Transit in Spring 2027. This move will lead to 50% more bus service in Everett by 2031.
The past 5 days may have been the most consequential week for transit in Puget Sound this year. Across the region, voters and elected officials decided to invest in transit for years and decades to come.
On Tuesday, voters in Seattle approved the Seattle Transit Measure (STM) with an overwhelming 72% supporting the measure. The 0.3% sales tax increase will take effect on April 1, 2027 and fund 280,000 bus trips in Seattle each year for 10 years. The measure also funds 22,000 free ORCA cards for low-income, elderly, and families with young children, maintain support for Seattle’s streetcar lines, fund spot improvements to keep buses moving, and help expedite permits and inspections for Link expansion projects in Seattle. The additional bus trips will help grow Seattle’s Very Frequent Transit Network.
Map of routes that received additional trips from the current STM (left) and a map of routes that could see further investment from the renewed STM (right). (SDOT)
Sound Transit is piloting an updated pet policy on its buses and trains between now and Spring 2027. During the pilot, pet dogs will be permitted on board if they are leashed, well-behaved, and controlled by their handler. All other pets must remain in an enclosed carrier. As always, service animals are permitted in compliance with the ADA.
Prior to the pilot, dogs and other pets were only allowed on Sound Transit buses and trains in a carrier. In July 2025, the Sound Transit Board approved Motion No. M2025-34, directing the agency to consider updating the rules to allow leashed dogs. This motion was motivated by the opening of Marymoor Village station as part of the Downtown Redmond Link Extension in May 2025. Marymoor Village station is next to Marymoor Park, a 640-arce park which includes a 40-arce off-leash dog area.
Sound Transit Express buses at Federal Way Transit Center.
In December 2025, Sound Transit welcomed the first passengers aboard the Federal Way Link Extension. The three new stations on the 1 Line provide improved transit connectivity for many south King County residents. An accompanying bus service change in March 2026 improved frequency on many bus routes and adjusted a few bus routes to better connect with the new Link stations. While some routes lost ridership, many other routes welcomed new passengers. Link increased the total number of transit trips in south King County with nearly 10,000 combined weekday boardings at Federal Way, Star Lake, and Kent Des Moines stations.
This article will discuss the stop-level ridership data for select routes in south King County. To minimize the impact of seasonal changes in ridership, the analysis compares data from March-August 2025 with data from March-August 2026. The plots below show average weekday boardings and alightings at each stop, boardings are shown with positive bars, alightings are shown with negative bars. The different colors represent the number of passengers boarding/alighting during that time of day. The data for 2025 is shown as slightly faded. Click on each plot to open it in a new tab.
Route 550 bus is passed by a 2 Line train on the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge across Lake Washington.
On March 28, Sound Transit opened the much anticipated Crosslake Connection. This rail connection between Seattle and cities on the Eastside promised fast, frequent, and more reliable connectivity across Lake Washington. The Link 2 Line was designed to replace the hundreds of daily bus trips on I-90, freeing up service hours to improve local bus routes. Initially, however, the I-90 bus routes remained intact to offer extra capacity and redundancy during the World Cup. In the five months following the Crosslake Connection opening, passengers could either take the train or bus. Many chose to take the train. In August 2026, the 11 Link stations on the Eastside and Mercer Island accounted for 12,500 boardings each weekday.
This article will discuss the stop-level ridership data for select routes in east King County. To minimize the impact of seasonal changes in ridership, the analysis compares data from March-August 2025 with data from March-August 2026. The plots below show average weekday boardings and alightings at each stop, boardings are shown with positive bars, alightings are shown with negative bars. The different colors represent the number of passengers boarding/alighting during that time of day. The data for 2025 is shown as slightly faded. Click on each plot to open it in a new tab.
The Seattle Transit Measure funds additional weekend trips on Route 36 that have caused a significant increase in weekend ridership.
Ballots for the November election have been sent to voters in King County. One item on the ballot for voters in Seattle is Proposition 1: Seattle Transit Measure. This renews and expands the Seattle Transit Measure that is set to expire in early 2027. The 0.3% sales tax is expected to generate $138 million per year that will fund 280,000 bus trips in Seattle each year for 10 years, 100,000 more bus trips than currently funded. It would also fund 22,000 free ORCA cards for low-income, elderly, and families with young children, maintain support for Seattle’s streetcar lines, fund spot improvements to keep buses moving, and help expedite permits and inspections for Link expansion projects in Seattle. Vote Yes to help fund transit in Seattle.
On Wednesday, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay transmitted RapidRide R Line alignment legislation to the King County Council. The R Line will travel between Rainier Beach station and downtown Seattle on Rainier Ave when it opens in 2032. In August, Metro asked the public for feedback on an initial alignment proposal. While many support the project, the planned removal of several existing Route 7 stops drew widespread criticism from Rainier Valley residents, transit advocates, and disability advocates.
In response to this feedback, the latest plan restores the stops on Rainier at Bayview St and State St/Grand St. The King County Council will discuss and vote on the R Line’s alignment over the next few weeks. This will establish the route’s path and general station locations. Additional project components, such as transit priority infrastructure, new crossings, and sidewalk improvements, will be finalized in later project stages. Executive Zahilay has proposed front-loading the project’s budget in an effort to potentially move up the R Line’s opening date.
Updated Segment 2 map with stops at Grand St and Bayview St.
A Breda DuoBus 350 on Renton Maple Valley Rd SE during the Fall Foliage Tour last year.
The leaves are finally starting to fall and there is no better place to admire King County’s incredible scenery than from a historic Metro bus. The annual Metro Employees Historic Vehicle Association (MEHVA) Fall Foliage Tour is back this year on October 25. Ride on one of the historic buses in MEHVA’s fleet through the Cascade foothills. Buses depart from 6th Ave S & S Royal Brougham Way (one block from Stadium station) at 11am and will return around 3pm. Tickets cost $10 and the group will stop for lunch along the way.
If you prefer to stay in Seattle, the Washington Park Arboretum is incredible this time of year. The arboretum is located just west of Madison Park, near stops for routes 8, 11, 43, 48, and the G Line. UW station is the closest Link station, about a 20 minute walk from the park.
Map of salmon spotting locations in King County. (King County)
Every year, thousands of salmon travel though creeks, rivers and lakes in King County on their return trip from the ocean. These adult salmon return to fresh water to spawn the next generation. The county’s Salmon SEEson program, now in its 20th year, highlights the habitat restoration, stormwater management, and community stewardship that ensure the fish can complete their journey. The program also highlights some of the best locations for watching the great salmon migration. An interactive map is available here.
One of the primary dangers to coho salmon in King County’s streams and rivers is a chemical from car tires. A chemical called 6PPD is used in almost all tires to protect them from ground-level ozone. When ozone reacts with 6PPD, it creates a toxic chemical called 6PPD-quinone. 6PPD-quinone is left on the roadway and washed into nearby waterways during the next rain. Some locations have a stormwater filter to prevent 6PPD-quinone from entering a waterway, but these systems cannot be built for every road.
To avoid adding more 6PPD-quinone to the salmon’s habitat, do not drive to see the salmon migration. Instead, ride the bus! EcoCity Action has organized a few transit trips to see salmon. Join them on a trip to Issaquah (Oct 4), Renton (Oct 11), or Carkeek Park (Nov 21). Below is a list of 20 salmon spotting locations and the bus routes that will get you there.
Amtrak Airo trains offer a modern interior and spacious seating.
The newest trains in Amtrak’s fleet, Amtrak Airo, will welcome their first customers tomorrow on the Cascades route. To celebrate the launch, Amtrak invited Seattle Transit Blog and other media organizations to tour and ride one of the new trains this past Saturday. The event kicked off with a marching band and speeches from leaders at Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Washington State, and Siemens Mobility. After the event in Seattle, the train traveled south to Portland for another event before ending the day in Eugene.
Dignitaries pose with a new Amtrak Airo trainset. From left to right: CEO of Siemens Mobility North America Tobias Bauer, FRA Administrator David Fink, Governor Bob Ferguson, Amtrak Interim President Byl Herrmann, Amtrak Director Elaine Clegg.
Amtrak Airo trainsets consist of one locomotive, one Business Class car, one cafe car, and four Coach Class cars. The last Coach car also has a luggage compartment and operator cab. Compared to the current Amtrak Cascades rolling stock, these trains will provide a more reliable and comfortable trip for up to 317 passengers. While Amtrak Cascades has a 79mph speed limit for most of its route, Airo trains will reach their top speed of 125mph when they run on the Northeast Corridor staring next year.
Passengers can expect modern amenities throughout the train. Several information screens are located in every car to share details about the next stop, restroom location, and other announcements. Between each car, the vestibules are fully enclosed to prevent rain or snow from entering the train. Each passenger car has large windows next to every row and a manual shade for sunny trips.
On September 30, Amtrak Airo trains will enter service (left, Amtrak) and Pinehurst station will open (right, Sound Transit).
2026 has been a big year for trains in Puget Sound. In January, the Federal Way Link Extension completed its first full month of operation. Simulated service on the 2 Line began in February, providing 4 minute frequencies for the first time between Seattle and Lynnwood. In March, the Crosslake Connection finally connected the 2 Line with Seattle. Link ridership jumped 46% in April thanks to the new service across Lake Washington. In May, the Sound Transit Board confirmed funding for several ST3 Link extensions (at the cost of other extensions). In June, Sound Transit welcomed passengers aboard new Sounder trains and set multiple Link ridership records. The USA vs Belgium World Cup match in early July helped Link surpass 300,000 passengers in one day for the first time ever. Last month, transit agencies in Snohomish, King, and Pierce counties restructured their bus networks to cement Link as the backbone for regional transportation in Puget Sound.
To add to the list, Sound Transit is opening a new Link station and Amtrak is rolling out next-generation trains in September.
