Drafter
Clerk 10/28/2022
title
A MOTION relating to the King County Metro Transit Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2021-2031 and King County Metro Transit Service Guidelines and accepting the King County Metro Transit 2022 System Evaluation.
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WHEREAS, the King County Metro Transit Strategic Plan for Public Transportation 2021-2031 ("the strategic plan") and the King County Metro Transit Service Guidelines ("the service guidelines") were adopted by ordinance 17143 in July 2011, amended by ordinance 17597 in June 2016, and amended by ordinance 19367 in December 2021, respectively, and
WHEREAS, the strategic plan and the service guidelines were to follow the recommendations of the regional transit task force regarding the policy framework for the Metro transit system, and
WHEREAS, the regional transit task force recommended that the strategic plan and the service guidelines focus on transparency and clarity, cost control and productivity, and
WHEREAS, the regional transit task force further recommended that the policy guidance for making service reductions and service growth decisions be based on the following priorities:
1. Ensure social equity;
2. Emphasize land use due to its linkage to economic development, density, financial stability and environmental sustainability; and
3. Provide geographic value and connectivity throughout the county, and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 19367, Section 6.C., specifies that a system evaluation report be transmitted by October 31 of each year to the regional transit committee for consideration, and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 19367, Section 6.C., specifies that the annual system evaluation report include:
1. For routes identified as RapidRide candidates, highlight and summarize the performance of the current equivalent routes based on what is reported in the System Evaluation and provide a status update on planned RapidRide lines;
2. The routes analyzed to determine the target service levels with a summary of resulting scores, including route-level equity metrics, and assigned service levels as determined by the service guidelines;
3. The results of the analysis including a list of transit routes and the estimated number of service hours necessary to meet each route's needs;
4. The performance of transit services by route and any changes in the service guidelines thresholds since the previous reporting period; and
5. A list of transit service changes made to routes and corridors of the network since the last reporting period, and
WHEREAS, the service guidelines task force called for in the 2015/2016 Biennial Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 17941, Section 113, Proviso P1, provided recommendations influencing updates to the strategic plan and service guidelines regarding:
1. How transit service performance is measured as specified in the service guidelines to reflect the varied purposes of different types of transit service;
2. Approaches to evaluating how the goal of geographic value is included in the service guidelines, including minimum service levels;
3. Approaches to evaluating how the goal of social equity is included in the service guidelines;
4. Financial policies for purchase of additional services within a municipality or among multiple municipalities; and
5. Guidelines for alternative services implementation, and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 18301 updated service guidelines policies and procedures regarding the evaluation and allocation of Metro transit service based on the recommendations of the service guidelines task force, and
WHEREAS, Motion 13736, Section D, directs that, beginning in 2013, an annual report of alternative services be transmitted by the executive to the council, which report has been combined with the attached system evaluation to provide a comprehensive overview of services and performance, and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 18449 adopted Metro's long-range transit service and capital plan, titled Metro Connects, and the Metro transit department, which was then known as the transit division of the King County department of transportation, committed to the regional transit committee to clearly track progress toward the implementation of Metro Connects as part of the service guidelines report, and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 18413, which amended K.C.C. 2.16.140, requires the planning, implementing, administering and operating of passenger ferry service in King County to be integrated with and subject to the methodology of the service guidelines, and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic had significant impacts on Metro transit department service and ridership, and
WHEREAS, the pandemic's impacts on service and ridership created several challenges for analyzing service change data from September 2020 to June 2022, and
WHEREAS, Metro transit department staff has compiled all other required information in the King County Metro Transit 2022 System Evaluation and the executive has transmitted this report, set forth as Attachment A to this motion, to the council and to the regional transit committee;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
The King County council hereby accepts as the service guidelines report required
under Ordinance 17143, Section 5, as amended, the King County Metro Transit 2022 System Evaluation, which is Attachment A to this motion.