King County May Make Bus Rides Free During Snow In Seattle Area

SEATTLE, WA — It might not be top-of-mind for you during this sunny (and very dry) June, but the King County Council this week will discuss one way the region can better handle record snowstorms like the ones that socked the Seattle area in February.

Since May, the Council has had a proposal on the table to make King County Metro bus rides free during snowstorms. The legislation will be up for discussion during a meeting of the Mobility and Environment Committee on Tuesday afternoon.

The legislation, sponsored by Councilwoman Jeanne Kohl-Welles, would waive transit fares while King County Metro's emergency snow network plan is in place. Metro put the ESN into effect for about a week in February, cutting the bus system down to 60 core routes.

"Waiving transit fares during severe snowstorms could increase the accessibility of transit

service for those experiencing homelessness and other difficulties, and could increase safety by encouraging people to use transit as transportation to reach shelter and avoid driving," Kohl-Welles' legislation reads.

If the committee approves the measure, it will move forward to the Metropolitan King County Council for final approval.

During about the first 12 days of February, some cities in the Seattle area got more than a foot of snow, causing widespread school cancellations, power outages, and travel delays. Three people died of either exposure or while digging out.