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RapidRide G Line and Madison Street area bus changes
The new RapidRide G Line is coming to Seattle in 2024! Working with our community and in partnership with the City of Seattle, King County Metro developed this new route and planned changes to surrounding routes as part of the Madison Street Area Bus Service Change Project. With the scheduled opening of the G Line, Metro considered changes to bus routes serving the Capitol Hill, Central District, First Hill and Madison Valley neighborhoods of Seattle: routes 3, 10, 11, 12, 47, 49 and 60.
The new RapidRide G Line will:
- Provide bus service every 6 minutes for most of the day on weekdays and Saturdays.
- Use new bus-only lanes and RapidRide stations with center lane boarding along Madison Street.
- Have all-door boarding with doors on both sides of the bus.
Service frequency
| Day | Peak | Midday | Evening | Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | 6 min | 6 min | 15 min | 15 to 40 min |
| Saturday | 6 min | 6 min | 15 min | 15 to 40 min |
| Sunday | 15 min | 15 min | 15 min | 15 to 40 min |
Please note: Peak service is from 5 am to 9 am and from 3 pm to 7 pm. Midday service is from 9 am to 3 pm. Evening service is from 7 pm to 10 pm. Night service is from 10 pm to 5 am.
Hours of service
24 hours a day / 7 days a week
Final network proposal
The Madison Street Area and G Line Ordinance was unanimously passed on March 26 by the King County Council.
Metro is preparing rider outreach and communications before new service is planned to begin on September 14, 2024.
In summer 2023, Metro presented two updated options for rider and public feedback.
- Option A: Increased frequency (how often the bus arrives at a stop) on revised routes 10, 11, 12 and 49. Like today, no service would operate on Summit Avenue and Bellevue Avenue, north of Olive Way.
- Option B: Extend some Route 3 trips to bring back bus service on Bellevue Avenue and Summit Avenue, north of Olive Way. Buses would come less often on revised routes 10, 11, 12 and 49.
For more information about Metro’s Phase Two engagement events and what we learned, see our Phase Two Community Engagement Summary. To learn more about our Phase One of engagement, see our Phase One Community Engagement Summary.
Recommended network changes
Metro proposes that Option B move forward in the final network to ensure that riders in the greatly populated Summit neighborhood (especially those experiencing mobility challenges) have access to transit service and new connections. Route frequencies and hours of operation shown in this proposed network are funded through the addition of new Metro resources to operate the G Line, reinvesting current Metro resources on routes in the project area and continued Seattle Transit Measure bus service investments. Metro proposes the following final network changes on Routes 3, 10, 11, 12, 47, 49 and 60:
Service frequency
Frequency and hours of service on newly extended service corridors on E Pine Street, E Pike Street, Bellevue Avenue E, and Summit Avenue E only.
| Day | Peak | Midday | Evening | Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | 30 min | 30 min | 30 min | |
| Saturday | 30 min | 30 min | ||
| Sunday | 30 min | 30 min |
Changes
- Extend Route 3 trips starting in Madrona to serve the Summit area. Queen Anne will not see a change in service levels, but trips ending in Queen Anne that were originally Route 3 trips will now be labeled as Route 4 trips.
- Based on community feedback and equity analysis this recommended change will provide service to areas with steep hills, and a high population of seniors, people living with a disability and essential workers.
Hours of service
- Weekday: 5 am to 7:30 pm
- Saturday: 6 am to 7 pm
- Sunday: 6 am to 7 pm
Service frequency for each route
| Day | Peak | Midday | Evening | Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | 20 to 30 min | 20 min | 30 min | 30 to 60 min |
| Saturday | 20 min | 20 min | 30 min | 30 to 60 min |
| Sunday | 20 min | 20 min | 30 min | 30 to 60 min |
Changes
- Change routes 10 and 12 to serve E Pine Street and reduce frequency during some weekday, Saturday and Sunday time periods.
- The change allows for more resources to be invested where needs and customer demand are greatest.
- Routes 10 and 12 will combine to improve bus service on E Pine Street to every 10 minutes during the day on weekdays, providing better service for priority populations and locations on this high ridership corridor. The portions of each route north of Pine Street with lower ridership, lower customer demand and fewer priority populations will see a decrease in bus frequency.
- The City of Seattle moved Seattle Transit Measure funding on routes 10 and 12 to routes 49, 60 and 125 to better align with city goals.
Hours of service
Route 10
- Weekday: 5 am to 1 am
- Saturday: 6 am to 1 am
- Sunday: 6 am to 1 am
Route 12
- Weekday: 5:30 am to midnight
- Saturday: 6 am to midnight
- Sunday: 6 am to midnight
Service frequency
| Day | Peak | Midday | Evening | Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | 20 to 30 min | 20 min | 20 min | 20 to 60 min |
| Saturday | 20 min | 20 min | 30 min | 30 to 60 min |
| Sunday | 20 min | 20 min | 30 min | 30 to 60 min |
Changes
- Change Route 11 to connect with Capitol Hill Link light rail station and reduce frequency during the peak and night periods on weekdays to match ridership trends and respond to community engagement feedback.
- This proposed change provides a new connection from Route 11 to Capitol Hill Link light rail station that replaces the current Route 10 service west of 15th Avenue E and reduces repeated service with the new RapidRide G Line.
- Bus service frequencies connecting to Capitol Hill Station would be slightly reduced from today due to this change. Service on routes 8 and 43 would be unchanged.
- Seattle moved a portion of Seattle Transit Measure funding from Route 11 to routes 49, 60 and 125 to better match the city’s goals.
Hours of service
- Weekday: 4:45 am to 1 am
- Saturday: 6 am to 1 am
- Sunday: 6 am to 1 am
Changes
- Formally remove Route 47, which has been suspended since 2020.
- Replace Route 47 with extension of Route 3.
Service frequency
| Day | Peak | Midday | Evening | Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | 20 to 30 min | 20 min | 20 min | 20 to 30 min |
| Saturday | 20 to 30 min | 20 min | 20 min | 30 min |
| Sunday | 20 to 30 min | 20 min | 20 min | 30 min |
Changes
- Increase bus frequency during weekday evenings. Reduce service frequency during the weekday, and weekend peak and midday periods.
- This recommended change matches ridership patterns and responds to riders wanting improved frequency at night.
- This route is partially funded by the Seattle Transit Measure, which helped maintain 20-minute service throughout the day and weekends.
Hours of service
- 24 hours a day / 7 days a week
Service frequency
| Day | Peak | Midday | Evening | Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | 12 to 30 min | 12 min | 20 min | 20 min |
| Saturday | 15 to 30 min | 15 min | 30 min | 30 min |
| Sunday | 15 to 30 min | 15 min | 30 min | 30 min |
Changes
- Increase frequency during weekday peak, midday and night and weekend service.
- These improvements are funded by the Seattle Transit Measure.
Hours of service
- Weekday: 4:15 am to 12:15 am
- Saturday: 5:15 am to midnight
- Sunday: 5:15 am to midnight
Project process and timeline
-
Spring 2023 Phase One
Shared and collected feedback on proposed bus route changes.
- Shared service proposals with the public and rider feedback.
- Provided information to priority populations through online and in-person engagement.
- Provided materials in multiple languages for website, online survey and flyers, including in-person engagement.
- Gathered feedback from bus operators.
- Updated members of the Seattle City Council and King County Council on the proposed plans.
-
Summer 2023 Phase Two
Shared and collected feedback on updated proposed bus route changes.
- Shared updated service proposals with the public and riders and gathered feedback to further refine bus route changes.
- Explained how the service proposals evolved from Phase One engagement using public input, equity analysis and Metro and Seattle’s operational budget commitments.
- Continued outreach through online and in-person engagement.
- Gathered feedback from bus operators.
- Updated members of the Seattle City Council and King County Council on the proposed plans.
- Finalized equity analysis.
-
Spring 2024
Prepare and finalize service launch.
- King County Executive submits final service network to King County Council for adoption.
- King County Council considers and adopts final changes.
- Plan for community education and implementation of changes.
- Prepare and finalize service changes for August 2024.
Madison Street Area Project
King County Metro and Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) have worked together on planning, outreach and engagement efforts in Seattle’s Madison Street area. This includes planning for current and future investments in transit service through the voter-approved Seattle Transit Measure (STM) which funds improved transit service and access throughout the city.
To learn more about the construction of the RapidRide G Line – Madison Street project, visit SDOT's website.
Why is Metro changing bus service in this area?
With the new RapidRide G Line set to bring more frequent and reliable service to the Madison Street area in fall 2024, Metro is updating neighborhood bus routes so that riders can better connect to public transportation and get to where they need to go. The goals for this project include:
- Improving mobility for priority populations—Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), people with low or no income, immigrants, refugees, limited—English populations and people with disabilities.
- Equitably informing, engaging and empowering communities and major employers.
- Changing bus service to support the new RapidRide G Line.
- Changing bus service to better meet rider and community needs.
How does Metro make decisions about bus service?
In 2023, Metro collected feedback during two phases of engagement from riders and community members on possible changes to routes 3, 10, 11, 12, 47, 49 and 60. Metro used rider and community feedback combined with equity and ridership analysis, and service design best practices to inform changes to the bus network. Metro also worked closely with local agency partners including the Seattle Department of Transportation which oversees investments from the voter-approved Seattle Transit Measure (STM).
King County Council will consider and approve final service changes, following submission by the King County Executive.