Metro will host a series of meetings to address its proposal to cut bus service by 17 percent.
The eight meetings, scheduled for November, December and January, will present the potential elimination of 74 bus routes, as well as revisions or reductions to 107 other routes.
The cuts would begin in June 2014 and continue into 2015.
Any cuts would have to be approved next spring by the King County Council.
An additional 150 daily bus trips between West Seattle and downtown that help mitigate Alaskan Way Viaduct construction could be eliminated. Curb-to-curb paratransit service, which provides public transit for people with physical disabilities, could also face reductions.
Even though cuts would start next summer, Metro must announce service changes to riders months in advance. The upcoming meetings are part of Metro’s community outreach.
The potential cuts to service come as a result of the transit agency’s $75 million budget shortfall.
The cuts would affect routes throughout King County, from express service downtown and commuter service in Federal Way to rural routes that serve North Bend and Enumclaw. The transit agency used its strategic plan and service guidelines to prioritize routes chosen for elimination, reduction or revision.
The proposed cuts come at a time when Metro is experiencing its highest ridership in five years. The transit agency provides 400,000 rides each day, placing it on track to provide an estimated 119 million rides by the end of this year.
King County officials and Gov. Jay Inslee have called on the state legislature to have a special session to consider a statewide transportation package that could address Metro’s deficit. The Seattle Transit Blog reported the legislature may hold its fourth special session this month.
The eight meetings are scheduled for the following times and locations:
Federal Way: Wed., Nov. 20, 6-8 p.m., Federal Way Community Center
West Seattle: Tues., Dec. 3, 6-8 p.m., Youngstown Cultural Arts Center
North Seattle: Thurs., Dec. 5, 6-8 p.m., North Seattle Community College
Downtown: Tues., Dec. 10, noon-2 p.m., Union Station
Bellevue: Wed., Dec. 11, 6-8 p.m., Bellevue City Hall
Kent: Mon., Dec. 16, 6-8 p.m., Kent Commons
Kirkland: Thurs., Jan. 16, 6-8 p.m., Peter Kirk Community Center
Southeast Seattle: Thurs., Jan. 23, 6-8 p.m., South Shore K-8
North King County: Mon., Jan. 27, 6-8 p.m., Lake Forest Park City Hall
For the full list of routes affected by potential cuts, call 206.296.0100 or visit metro.kingcounty.gov.