King County Metro Transit receives federal funding to support new bus rapid transit route
King County Metro Transit (King County Metro) received a $79.7 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to support construction of the agency’s new rapid bus route. Funding for the estimated $168.5 million project comes from FTA’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program. FTA officials were joined by King County Executive Dow Constantine, King County Metro Transit representatives and other project partners to celebrate the signing of the grant.
The I Line, the agency’s newest RapidRide route, will use hybrid electric buses to connect cities in South King County, Wash., including Renton, Kent and Auburn, with weekday service every 10 to 15 minutes during the day. Weekend service will offer 15-minute frequencies throughout the day.
"Americans depend on fast, affordable and safe transportation options to get to work, pursue their education, access groceries and medical services and so much more," said U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "Bus rapid transit is the fastest-growing transit mode for a good reason, and the Biden-Harris Administration's $79.7 million investment will build out King County's RapidRide I Line to provide faster, more efficient service that benefits the entire region."
The RapidRide I Line, scheduled to begin service in 2027, will enhance the current Route 160, formerly Route 169 and 180, between Auburn Station and downtown Renton. The route will feature nearly two miles of bus-only lanes and transit signal priority to support faster, more frequent service. Riders will experience off-board fare payment and all-door boarding.
"King County has grown by nearly 20 percent since 2010, increasing the need for high-capacity transit. The RapidRide I Line will provide a cleaner, faster ride for thousands of riders in Southern King County, including in areas of the county with some of the highest proportions of low-income and minority residents," said FTA Deputy Administrator Veronica Vanterpool.
The 17-mile route will have 41 new stations that include shelters, lighting and real-time arrival information. The RapidRide I Line will also improve rider connections in the regional system, including the RapidRide F Line, Sound Transit buses and the Sounder commuter rail Kent and Auburn stations.
“The RapidRide I Line represents another milestone in the expansion of King County’s high-capacity transit network,” Executive Constantine said. “This new service will provide fast, frequent connections for our growing South King County communities, making it easier for people in Renton, Kent and Auburn to get where they need to go, when they need to be there.”
King County Metro’s new era of transit
The I Line will be the 10th to open as part of the RapidRide network, adding to a robust regional bus rapid transit system with current daily ridership of about 63,000 trips.
The RapidRide program meets the region’s growing need for fast and frequent public transportation, providing a higher level of service than regular buses. RapidRide routes feature dedicated bus lanes, signal priority and run every 10 minutes during peak hours and every 15 minutes on weekends.
An estimated 50,000 jobs would be served by the project, including job centers in downtown Renton, Kent and Auburn; two major medical centers; and the Auburn Municipal Airport. Each city is anticipated to plan transit-oriented development around key stations to facilitate growth and opportunity.
The RapidRide network is continuing to grow. The J Line (connecting downtown Seattle, the Eastlake corridor and the University District) is currently under construction, and the K Line (Bellevue to Kirkland) and R Line (through Seattle’s Rainier Valley) are in the planning phases.
Megan Perrero | Editor in Chief
Megan Perrero is a national award-winning B2B journalist and lover of all things transit. Currently, she is the Editor in Chief of Mass Transit magazine, where she develops and leads a multi-channel editorial strategy while reporting on the North American public transit industry.
Prior to her position with Mass Transit, Perrero was the senior communications and external relations specialist for the Shared-Use Mobility Center, where she was responsible for helping develop internal/external communications, plan the National Shared Mobility Summit and manage brand strategy and marketing campaigns.
Perrero serves as the board secretary for Latinos In Transit and is a member of the American Public Transportation Association Marketing and Communications Committee. She holds a bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism with a concentration in magazine writing and a minor in public relations from Columbia College Chicago.
