East Link Connections is a process co-led by Sound Transit and King County Metro to create a coordinated regional transit system on the Eastside that gets people where they’re going as light rail service expands. The initial segment of the 2 Line opened on April 27, 2024, extending from South Bellevue station to Redmond Technology Station. Based on current projections, the 2 Line will expand to Downtown Redmond in spring of 2025 and to Lynnwood across I-90 in late 2025. Once these projects are completed, passengers will be able to take the 2 Line and ride more than 40 miles to Lynnwood City Center via downtown Seattle, as well as south to Sea-Tac Airport and Angle Lake.
Changes to the bus network will occur after each extension opens, and the full implementation of the updated network will occur after the 2 Line reaches Lynnwood City Center. Final changes to specific routes and networks will be considered and approved by the Board through Sound Transit’s annual service plan. Sound Transit and Metro are committed to implementing a coordinated regional transit system on the Eastside that is responsive to changing mobility needs and improves accessibility for historically underserved populations.
Areas: Bellevue, Bothell, Clyde Hill, Duvall, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kirkland, Medina, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, Seattle, Woodinville, Yarrow Point.
Potentially affected routes and services:
Sound Transit: 541, 542, 544, 545, 550, 554, 555, 556
King County Metro: 8, 111, 114, 167, 204, 212, 214, 216, 217, 218, 219, 221, 224, 225, 226, 232, 237, 240, 241, 245, 246, 249, 250, 252, 257, 268, 269, 271, 311, 342, 630, B Line, 930, 931
For more detailed information on Sound Transit routes, please explore the current route pages or return later this year for more information on potential changes.
For more information on Metro bus routes, including maps and route sheets that were created during this project, please visit King County Metro’s site.
Timeline
Phase 1
King County Metro and Sound Transit held interviews with a wide variety of Eastside stakeholders. Over 80 stakeholders were involved in this process representing community-based organizations, cities, and employers. Additionally, over 1,200 community members provided feedback through an online survey. The feedback received during this phase of engagement provided the framework used by service planners to develop the Draft Service Network that was subsequently reviewed in Phases 2 and 3 of engagement.
Phase 2
Metro and Sound Transit shared the Draft Service Network with the public with the request to help refine the proposed changes. More than 2,000 people engaged with us through in-depth conversations with community-based organizations, local employers, mobility groups, and a public survey. Participants shared their comments and suggestions regarding more than 50 bus routes with proposed service changes. This feedback helped our team learn more about which proposed route changes would be most effective and which needed more refinement.
Phase 3
After refining changes to the Draft Service Network based on community feedback from the previous phase, a third round of community engagement was launched to gather final input on the updated network. This proposal went through a review process with the Mobility Board, Partner Review Board and community-based organizations before being shared once again with the public in a final online survey.
Next steps
King County Metro and Sound Transit teams are currently working on updating proposed changes by incorporating feedback from the three rounds of engagement. Several common themes emerged from diverse Eastside communities around ways to improve transit service. Here’s what we heard are the community’s needs and priorities:
- More service outside of peak periods.
- Improve first/last-mile connections to transit hubs.
- Leverage connections to frequent, high-capacity transit (i.e., Link, Rapid Ride, buses).
- Improve connections between Renton Highlands, Bellevue and Issaquah. Ensure connections to hospitals and other community assets.
Public Engagement (2020-2024)
As we develop an equitable bus service plan, we need input from the diverse communities we serve. In addition to engagement with individuals, community groups, project partners, and stakeholders, King County Metro and Sound Transit convened a Mobility Board and a Partner Review Board to help us develop and implement the engagement process and service plan.
East Link Mobility Board
The East Link Mobility Board is a group of individuals that provided input to Sound Transit and King County Metro’s service planning teams throughout the development of the East Link Connections bus service proposals. The Mobility Board also helped develop and implement an equitable community engagement process.
Partner Review Board
The Partner Review Board is a group of external stakeholders that reviews service concepts and provides feedback. The board includes representatives from jurisdictions and major institutions in the project area, leaders of community-based organizations, and representatives from partner transit agencies.