Metro invites community members to consider joining a “Community Advisory Group” or to contribute your thoughts and ideas in other ways–details below:

King County Metro is beginning the process of developing a long-range plan for public transportation, and we want to engage the community in developing a vision, goals, and options for providing transportation services to meet our region’s growing needs. We are seeking interested community members who would like to participate in this process as part of a Community Advisory Group.

What is the long-range plan for public transportation?

Over the next year and a half Metro, in cooperation with local jurisdictions and regional stakeholders, will develop a plan that will describe Metro’s role through 2040 in providing mobility to people who work, live or visit King County.

The plan will lay out a system of public transportation options that are financially responsible, meet the regional transportation goals in the Puget Sound Regional Council’s Transportation 2040 and Vision 2040 plans, and reflect the values of the local communities Metro serves. It will guide the actions Metro will take through 2040 to strengthen a coordinated, regional transportation system that improves the lives of all King County residents.

How can you get involved?

The Community Advisory Group will work closely with Metro to identify transit and mobility needs, review potential transit network options, and make key recommendations to incorporate in the long-range plan. The advisory group will meet every other month from March 2015 through May 2016. Additional meetings may be scheduled as needed. We expect meetings will be in the evening and will be two hours long. We are looking for volunteers who:

  • Reflect the diversity of our region
  • Rely on or have an interest in public transportation
  • Understand basic transportation issues and have an interest in how transportation affects the lives of people in King County
  • Can participate openly, collaboratively and creatively with group members whose views may be different from their own
  • Can serve as individuals, not as representatives from a particular group or organization
  • Have a commitment to ensuring that underrepresented populations have opportunities to participate in the planning effort
  • Can support the planning process by attending regularly and supporting the other community outreach efforts.

When will meetings be held?

The first meeting will be held on Thursday, March 12 at 6:00 p.m.at King Street Center, 201 S Jackson St., Seattle 98104 in the 8th floor conference center. At this first meeting, we’ll identify the best meeting time and place for advisory group members. We anticipate meetings will be held in the evening and at locations easily accessible by transit. We will accommodate special needs as requested.

How to apply to be part of the Community Advisory Group?

If you would like to participate in this group, please complete the online application Wednesday, February 18. We will follow up by March 4th to let applicants know if they have been selected. If you prefer a paper application, please let us know – we are happy to provide one.

Other ways to be involved

Beyond the Community Advisory Group, there will be many ways to engage in Metro’s Long Range Public Transportation Planning process:

  • Help engage those you serve in this effort by sharing this information and encouraging them to get involved in this and future opportunities to provide input.
  • Join the project email list online to receive notification about project milestones or events.
  • Participate in a community visioning event to be held in March. Community members will be asked to participate in a conversation about the future of public transportation in our region and hear from a panel of local and national experts on transit’s role in helping communities meet their full potential. More information to come on this event.
  • Attend a public open house or visit one of the information tables we’ll have at community fairs, farmers markets, and other venues in coming months. These will be opportunities to talk about the plan and give feedback.
  • Attend a Community Advisory Group meeting even if you do not become a member. While there will not be time available for public comment, forms will be provided for comments and questions that will be shared with the advisory group.
  • Take our survey online and tell us about your vision for the future of public transportation in King County.

Visit our website for more information about all of these opportunities.

We appreciate your time and commitment to improving transit in our region. We hope to hear from you and those you serve soon as we move forward with the planning process. If you have any questions, please contact Tristan Cook, Community Relations Planner, at tristan.cook@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-3842.

Sincerely,

Kevin Desmond, General Manager, Metro Transit Division