RapidRide H Line
RapidRide expansion - coming in March 2023
We’re working to transform Route 120—one of our 10 busiest routes—into the new RapidRide H Line.
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, 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. RapidRide H Line will also provide needed connections to other bus service and Link light rail.
Project details
What’s happening now
Work resuming at several locations
Concrete is again flowing in the region and construction is resuming at the following locations as material is available:
- 15th Avenue SW and SW Roxbury Street
- 15th Avenue SW and SW 102nd Street
- 15th Avenue SW and SW 107th Street
- 26th Avenue SW and SW Roxbury Street
- Ambaum Boulevard SW and SW 112th Street
- Ambaum Boulevard SW, between SW 116th Street and SW 122nd Street
- Ambaum Boulevard SW and SW 128th Street
- Ambaum Boulevard SW and SW 136th Street
- Ambaum Boulevard SW and SW 142nd Street
For more information, please visit the Metro Matters Blog.
Construction on the RapidRide H Line project in June 2021 and is expected to last through March 2023. Please sign up for project updates to stay informed on RapidRide H Line construction activity.
As construction moves forward, our team will share information about what to expect and how to continue traveling by bus in the area. We are 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.
Please visit the Metro Matters Blog for more information about the construction activity.
What to expect during construction
Typical work hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with some nighttime and weekend work. You can expect:
- Noise, vibrations, and dust in the project area
- Temporary parking restrictions
- Periodic lane and driveway closures
- Large machinery and truck activity
- Construction staging and parking impacts near the construction site
- Some sidewalk, intersection, and lane closures
- Detours for people walking, biking, and rolling
- Temporary bus detours and bus stop relocations for Route 120 and other area transit and bus routes.
- Flaggers to direct traffic around work areas
We will provide notifications to businesses and residents ahead of construction activities in your area.
From the Metro Matters blog
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
Virtual construction meeting
Join us every *last Thursday of the month from 5 PM – 6 PM for collaborative discussions.
Join ZOOM meeting
Meeting ID: 228 271 1759
*Note some of the meetings may change due to holiday schedule. Sign up to receive updates, or feel free to email/call to confirm virtual office dates.
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.
For more information read our Public Engagement Reports for Phase 1 and Phase 2.
Frequently asked questions
RapidRide H Line, previously known as Route 120, is one of our 10 busiest routes. It will provide connections from neighborhoods in Burien, White Center, and West Seattle to downtown Seattle along Third Avenue. RapidRide H Line will also provide needed connections to other bus routes and Link light rail.
RapidRide H Line buses will come more often, be more reliable, and more service times will be added at night and on weekends. Bus stops will be upgraded with new shelters, lighting, real-time arrival information to improve your experience. Sidewalks, street crossings, and signals will be improved around stations for pedestrians, bikes, and those with limited mobility. Additionally, new business access and transit (BAT) lanes will be added to improve travel times for transit and provide better access to businesses for drivers.
Typical work hours for the RapidRide H Line project are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with some nighttime and weekend work. Majority of construction is expected to last through March 2023 with some construction to last beyond 2023.
Crews will focus on shelter installations, excavation, concrete pours, and landscaping over the winter months. See the construction map for more details. Low temperatures and consistent rain will require that paving work will shift into next year when warmer temperatures return. In locations where work is paused, we will be securing equipment, consolidating traffic control, and covering open holes to ensure safe traveling conditions.
Access to businesses will be maintained throughout construction. We are reaching out to neighbors, businesses, and local community organizations in advance of construction near them to share when and where work will happen, as well as what impacts to expect.
Construction on RapidRide H Line was previously delayed due to a region-wide concrete driver worker strike, supply chain issues, and limited availability of materials. Visit our website to read more about how King County is managing delays due to concrete supply issues.
The supply chain issues impacting construction projects across the region, specifically the limited and unpredictable availability of concrete, has resulted in crews balancing the work they can do with what materials are available to continue that work. In order to maintain the overall project schedule, we have begun several new locations where crews have the resources and materials to complete the work, while also pausing some work at other locations, as necessary. Crews are continuing to make progress on work throughout the project area and we look forward to being able to wrap up work at some sites throughout the project area later this summer.
Where crews are doing construction varies week by week. For more details about the locations where work is ongoing, see the What's happening now? section on our project website or visit our blog for more information. You can also sign up for project updates.
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Contact us
RapidRide Community Engagement
Email: rapidride@kingcounty.gov
Construction hotline: 206-257-3079
