RapidRide H Line
RapidRide expansion - coming in fall 2022
RapidRide H Line presentation
Closed captioned in multiple languages
We’re working to transform Route 120—one of our 10 busiest routes—into the new RapidRide H Line. Construction will kick off as soon as late June 2021!
Public transit is an important part of how we will meet the diverse needs and priorities of our rapidly growing region. Our current demand for transit, plus future needs identified in our cities’ growth plans, require access to public transportation that is fast and reliable.
When the RapidRide H Line launches in fall 2022, it will come more often and be more reliable than Route 120 is today. It will provide connections from neighborhoods in Burien, White Center, and West Seattle to downtown Seattle along Third Avenue and South Lake Union. RapidRide H Line will also provide needed connections to other bus service and Link light rail.
Note:
King County Metro's projected budget revenue shortfall, brought on in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, has resulted in the difficult decision to suspend some RapidRide lines. RapidRide H Line remains a priority to Metro and will be fully funded. You can read more about the budget's impact to the RapidRide program on the Metro Matters blog and its impact to the launch of RapidRide H Line service.
What’s happening now?
RapidRide H Line construction is expected to begin in late June 2021. Please sign up for project updates to stay informed on RapidRide H Line construction activity.
As construction kicks off, our team will share information about what to expect and how to continue traveling by bus in the area. We will be reaching out to neighbors, businesses and local community organizations in advance of construction to notify them when and where work will happen, as well as what impacts to expect. We are also coordinating with our partners at the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to minimize impacts on concurrent construction work.
SDOT has already started construction on RapidRide H Line and other safety improvements along Delridge Way SW. You can learn more about the effects of construction along the Delridge Way SW portion of the RapidRide H Line project by signing up for updates on the SDOT project page.
Three rounds of public outreach over the past several years had an important influence on the project’s final design. Community input helped to inform routing, stop locations, station amenities and safety and access improvements. Read a summary of RapidRide H Line outreach to learn more.
What to expect during construction
Construction can be disruptive. You can expect to see and hear construction activities throughout the corridor during the duration of work.
- Some sidewalk, intersection and lane closures
- Detours and temporary stop relocations for Route 120
- Typical construction impacts, such as noise, dust and truck activity
We will provide notifications to businesses and residents ahead of construction activities in your area.
Join us for our virtual construction office hours!
Beginning Sept. 8, we will be hosting virtual construction office hours on Microsoft Teams from 4-5 p.m. every other Wednesday through November.
We hope you’ll join us to learn more about the project and upcoming construction or ask any questions you may have! These are informal events; we welcome you to come and go as you need.
Meetings will be held on the following dates:
- Sept. 8
- Sept. 22
- Oct. 6
- Oct. 20
- Nov. 3
- Nov. 17
How to join the meetings
- To join an online meeting, follow this link
- To join by phone, call 206-485-0017; Conference ID: 343 764 643#
- To request interpretation services for these virtual events, please contact us at least 24 hours before the meeting:
- Michelle Huynh
RapidRide H Line Communications and Engagement Lead
Phone: 206-257-3079
Email: rapidride@kingcounty.gov
- Michelle Huynh
What changes you'll see
- Buses will come more often and be more reliable.
- More service will be added at night and on weekends.
- Some bus stops will be upgraded with new shelters, lighting, real-time arrival information, off-board ORCA card readers and more.
- Sidewalks, street crossings and signals, and paths for accessing stops will be improved for pedestrians, bikes, and those with limited mobility.
- New business access and transit (BAT) lanes will be added to improve travel times for transit and provide better access to businesses for drivers. Learn more about BAT lanes.
- New roadway improvements for people driving and taking transit, including new turn lanes and traffic signals, will make it easier for transit and drivers to move through the corridor.
- SDOT plans to improve access to transit along Delridge Way SW and is including bicycle and pedestrian improvements as part of the project. These improvements may include upgraded crosswalks and intersections, new crosswalks, better connections to nearby greenways, and a protected bike lane on Delridge Way SW Visit SDOT’s website to learn more.
Project partners
We’re working with partner jurisdictions to help keep what’s great about Route 120 while also improving access to bus service. They’ll help us find new ways of helping people get where they need to go, and collaborate with us to make roadway and corridor improvements that support RapidRide service.
Community involvement
Thank you to everyone who shared feedback, attended community open houses and engaged with our project team throughout project design. The community’s input helped our team to explore route options and finalize the route alignment, to determine the location of safety improvement projects, and to select available bus station amenities.
What we heard during design
- Route Alignment: Community input helped to create a hybrid route alignment in place of the two proposed options. Metro heard that the community preferred a route that traveled along SW 150th St. instead of SW 148th St. to the Burien Transit Center. This allows for more direct access to downtown Burien businesses and services and improves travel time in and out of the transit center.
- Safety Improvements: Concerns from current and future riders about safety at key intersections helped determine the location of new traffic signals, pedestrian beacons and infrastructure improvements. These safety improvements will make accessing and navigating transit easier and safer for riders and neighbors.
- Station Amenities: Route 120’s upgrade to RapidRide H Line means new shelters and amenities at all RapidRide station locations. Community input helped to clarify which amenities future RapidRide H Line riders most preferred at their stations. Our team used this information to help determine the allocation of station resources among almost 50 RapidRide stops.
Contact us
Michelle Huynh
RapidRide Communications and Engagement Manager
Send Michelle an email
or call 206-257-3079
