Metro Reports Double-Digit Growth on Eastside Bus Routes as Cuts Loom

As Metro prepares to cut dozens of routes amid ongoing budget woes, the transit agency reports ridership numbers are up for the third year in a row.

The growth is particularly strong on the Eastside, Metro says. Several bus routes in this area have seen double-digit rider increases in 2013, including the 221 between Redmond and Eastgate, 226 serving downtown Bellevue and Eastgate, the 234 between Kenmore and Bellevue and the 245 serving Bellevue, Kirkland and Factoria.

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Attributing the growth to economical improvements, Metro is reporting significant increases in demand throughout the county. So far in 2013, Metro says it's provided a weekday average of 400,000 transit trips—a figure that surpasses any weekday averages since before 2008.

In many suburban areas, increased ridership has translated into crowded park-and-ride lots. On the Eastside, several park-and-rides are at or above capacity, including South Bellevue (107 percent), Bear Creek (110 percent), Redmond, (100 percent) and South Kirkland (104 percent).

Now in their second special session, state legislators have yet to agree on a transportation revenue package, which Metro has said is necessary to help the transit agency bridge a $75-million annual budget gap. If an agreement is not reached, Metro says 65 bus routes—including two that serve Woodinville—would be cut and another 86 would see service reductions.