King County RapidRide Expansion Will Improve Access for Seattle Neighborhoods

King County Metro (Seattle, WA) executives joined city, county, federal, and community leaders recently to celebrate the completion of major construction on the RapidRide G Line project, Metro’s eighth RapidRide line. The new line adds miles of red bus lanes and 21 new stops, along with extensive upgrades and improvements to Madison St. Service is expected to begin Sept. 14.

“The new RapidRide G Line will deliver frequent and reliable service across Madison Valley, Capitol Hill, the Central District, First Hill, and downtown Seattle,” said King County Metro General Manager Michelle Allison. “This collaborative, regional effort serving some of Seattle’s oldest neighborhoods will improve lives, help local businesses, and expand access to opportunity.”

The $144.3 million RapidRide G Line project was funded through a combination of $80.5 million in federal grants, with additional contributions coming from Sound Transit ($35.8 million), the Levy to Move Seattle ($19.7 million), King County Metro ($3.5 million), WSDOT grants ($2.5 million), and other City of Seattle transportation sources ($2.3 million). The federal grants included $59.9 million from FTA’s Small Starts program and $10.9 million from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

“The RapidRide network has become a critical economic and personal asset for millions of riders throughout the Puget Sound region, said FTA Acting Administrator Veronica Vanterpool. “Adding this service to Madison Street will help connect families to each other, patients to healthcare, students to education, and get everyone where they need to go faster, safer, and more frequently. Thank you to everyone who made this investment a reality.”

The RapidRide G Line will offer frequent service every six minutes most of the day, using new 60-foot, five-door buses. Dedicated bus lanes and faster boarding with center-running bus stations will reduce commute times and enhance ridership, while new curb ramps, crosswalks, and sidewalks improve accessibility. The redesigned Madison St. will improve safety around schools, small businesses, libraries, and hospitals, and the project also included sidewalk repairs, new walk and bike signals, and rebuilt utilities.

“I have been proud to support the RapidRide G project throughout my tenure in Congress and during my time in the Washington State Legislature,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA). “While serving on the Washington State Senate Transportation Committee, I helped ensure that RapidRide G received dedicated funding in the Connecting Washington Transportation Package. This project will be transformative for our connecting communities and enhancing regional transportation mobility.”