Metro’s Long-Range Plan focus of special council committee meeting

June 17, 2015

Summary

Regional Transit Committee holds workshop at Renton’s City Hall

Story

The development of Metro Transit’s Long Range Plan (LRP) and potential alternatives brought the Metropolitan King County Council’s Regional Transit Committee to Renton City Hall today for a special workshop for committee members.

The workshop was centered on the consideration of the LRP. Developed in collaboration with local jurisdictions and coordinated with Sound Transit, the Long Range Plan will be a blueprint for meeting future transit needs in King County as our region’s population and employment levels rise.

The workshop concentrated on the process that Metro staff is using to develop a preferred alternative for the LRP and the county-wide impacts that it may have.

“Metro Transit plays an important role here in Renton; it provides daily transportation to thousands of residents and employees of major employers such as the Boeing Company and PACCAR,” said Chairman Reagan Dunn, who represents part of Renton on the King County Council. “I want to thank the City of Renton for hosting this important meeting.”

The Renton Transit Center is a key transit hub and is also the site of one of King County’s first Transit Oriented Development projects

“Renton is working closely with King County Metro and Sound Transit to ensure that local access to public transportation is a key part of both agencies quality of life and economic development strategy,” said Mayor Denis Law.

Metro’s newest RapidRide Line, the F Line, connects with Burien, the Tukwila International Boulevard Light Rail Station, and the Tukwila Sounder Station. It also travels to key employment centers in Renton, along with the Renton Transit Center, and The Landing retail complex.

“It was our goal to be very forward thinking as we laid out the newest RapidRide Line and we have done that,” said Renton Council President Ed Prince. “City of Renton officials worked closely with King County Metro to design the F Line route alignment through Renton to ensure the F Line would serve The Landing, one of our major business areas, from the beginning of service.”

The Regional Transit Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the King County Council on countywide policies for public transportation services operated by the County. The committee’s responsibilities include the Strategic Plan for Public Transportation, which is the blueprint establishing guidelines for allocation of transit service throughout King County.