Metro is revamping bus service in the Snoqualmie Valley again, and regular riders have braced themselves for more bad news, more routes to be cut due to low ridership. They can relax, says Amy Biggs, future executive director of Snoqualmie Valley Transportation, because this round of changes will actually bring more service to most of the Valley.
“They (King County Metro Transit) listened to every single rider on the buses here… and they actually doubled the number of routes!” Biggs said. “What they’re doing is amazing, and I think everybody should know about it!”
It’s true that the biggest change is a cut, but it’s a cut with a replacement service. The Route 224 bus makes its last run between Snoqualmie and Duvall on Sept. 27, but the next day, when Metro’s five-year plan for alternative services in the Snoqualmie Valley starts, the little white SVT buses will be on the 224 route, running up and down the Valley every 90 minutes.
The new Intra-Valley Shuttle Service from SVT is a big part of Metro’s future plans, Metro supervisor Matt Hansen told the North Bend City Council at its May 7 meeting. Hansen was there to give an overview of Metro’s proposed changes, and to answer any questions.