King County: Only about half of Metro bus service in operation

King County Metro Transit continues to operate with approximately half of its regular service due to dangerous road conditions. On Thursday, much of Metro’s and Sound Transit’s bus service in King County was temporarily suspended due to weather and road conditions, and that is the situation for Friday morning as well.

December 19, 2008 10:17 am

METRO TRANSIT HAS ISSUED THE FOLLOWING ADVISORY ABOUT BUS SERVICE FRIDAY:

King County Metro Transit continues to operate with approximately half of its regular service due to dangerous road conditions.

On Thursday, much of Metro’s and Sound Transit’s bus service in King County was temporarily suspended due to weather and road conditions, and that is the situation for Friday morning as well.

Please check the Metro Online Web site before you leave home to see if your bus route is operating and if it is on snow routing.

Bus passengers should be aware that travel conditions can change quickly, and this list of disrupted service may be revised at any time due to weather and road conditions. In some locations, where roads are impassable for large buses, Metro will be operating chained shuttles.

In order to safely transport as many passengers as possible, Metro is focusing on providing bus service on cleared highways and arterial roads, and to major transit centers and park-and-ride lots. Access in and out of West Seattle continues to be a problem, and there will be very little service to side streets and smaller neighborhoods.

Passengers should be prepared to board buses at major transit centers, flat arterials, or at the top or bottom of hills. Please dress warmly, wear appropriate footwear, and be prepared to wait. The buses that are running are expected to be significantly delayed.

This transit plan will continue until weather and road conditions improve, which means almost all bus service will be significantly limited. Metro appreciates everyone’s patience, and reminds customers that safety for passengers and bus drivers is the agency’s No. 1 concern.

Information about bus status is available on Metro’s Ice & Snow page, but conditions are changing rapidly. You can also call the Metro Customer Information Office at (206) 553-3000, but call volumes are high and there may be a wait to talk to a CIO representative. People should closely monitor the latest weather and traffic reports for information about travel conditions.