Bellevue City Council signed off on an agreement with King County Metro for a free Downtown Bellevue circulator bus in 2010.
The buses, which will run every 10 minutes, will be “Bellevue-branded.” Other details as to what types of buses will be used and the exact routes traveled, will be determined in the coming months. Previously it had been speculated that the bus will run in a loop cornering Bellevue Way, Main Street, 110th Ave NE, and NE 10th St.
Previous reports also stated that the buses would allow for up to 19 people to ride aboard and would operate on weekdays from 6am – 7pm, Saturdays 9am – 7pm, and some Sundays.
The project will cost the city $3.65 million over 5 years, about 37% of the actual cost of the project. Metro will pay the balance of the transportation project.
In addition to the Downtown Bellevue circulator, the city has an agreement for a program called RapidRide. This service scheduled for 2011 will be a rapid transit service connecting Downtown Bellevue, Crossroads, Overlake and downtown Redmond.
sweet wait 10 mins to go four blocks, that’s about how long it takes to walk four blocks.
Until the bus goes where people want to go (hospital / whole foods / bestbuy) I don’t see it helping much.
This does seem like a waste. The downtown area is pretty small. You can walk anywhere in about 10 minutes.
I think it’s a great idea…downtown Bellevue isn’t very walking friendly. If I lived downtown I’d use them all the time! Also it will help keep cars off the road.
The orignally planned route was that the bus would run in an 8 figure, going through Bellevue Way, 108th and 112th Avenues between Main street and 10th St NE.
If they keep to that route, it would be more useful.
It would even be more useful if they ran through 116th instead of 112th. That would cover the hospital and the Whole Foods, making the bus trip really worthwhile.
My grandma will use it to get to the mall! I don’t want her braving the cold weather or the crazy drivers!!
Between Bellevue and King County it’s $10,000,000 over 5 years. That’s $2,000,000 per year or $500,000 per van. I will quit my job and drive arount in circles every day for only $400,000 per year. Van, gas and maintenance included.
E-mail Mayor Degginger and tell him to quit wasting your money.
By the time this project is complete, Bellevue will outgrow it.
19 people can ride? What kind of route is that? Anyone can walk faster!!