Ending ST Express Route 550

The previous post detailed Sound Transit should mitigate the costs of Starter Line’s limited ridership by terminating Line 2 at CID. Ending the need for 4-car trains and schedules set by need to provide half the light rail capacity to Lynnwood and beyond. This post details why Sound Transit should use the money saved to continue ST Express 550 into and out of Seattle rather than end it when Line 2 service begins.

Sound Transit currently routes ST550 from 4:57 am to 12:20 am from Bellevue T/C along Bellevue Way, South Bellevue and Mercer Way stations to 4^th Ave and Pike St to Convention Place in Seattle. Intervals between trains increase from 10-minute peak ,15-minute off peak, to 30-minute early morning and late evening.  The schedule shows during peak commute the 8:08 am ST550 bus takes 30 minutes to reach 4^th Ave & Cherry. 

Sound Transit’s August Ridership-Ridership website reports ST550 had 4362 boardings and presumably 2181 riders, 25% more than the Starter Line. The “likely” reason, commuters had access to ST550 at 6 stops between Bellevue T/C and South Bellevue Station and 7 stops in Seattle. Starter Line access on east side was limited to East Main in Bellevue and DSTT stations in Seattle

At $15 per mile, the ST550, 22.5-mile trip from Bellevue to and from Convention Place costs $337.50 or $33,750 for the 100 daily round trips. However, as the previous post details, terminating Line 2 would reduce Starter Line operating costs from $190,000 to $76,000.

Sound Transit could save an additional $29,000 by using ST550 to replace Starter Line to South Bellevue. Use the Bellevue T/C as the interface between ST550 and Starter Line.

The bottom line is Sound Transit’s plan to stop ST550 (and terminate all I-90 corridor buses on Mercer Island) is an attempt to boost Line 2 ridership. However, the Starter Line’s “ominous” results reflect the lack of access available with Rapid Ride B between Redmond and Bellevue.  ST Express 550 provides similar access between downtown Bellevue and South Bellevue T/C. (and better access in Seattle)  King County Metro will presumably continue with Rapid Ride B. Sound Transit should do the same with ST550.

Those living along the route into Bellevue have already endured years of disruption from light rail construction.  Sound Transit should not be allowed to use light rail trains to replace ST550 and end their access to transit.