King County lawmakers propose Metro bus increase

To help deal with a funding shortage for Metro Transit, bus fares would increase 25 cents a year for the next four years under a proposal Thursday by four suburban members of the Metropolitan King County Council.

This includes a 25-cent fare increase already approved for 2010.

Adult fares are now $2 for travel within one zone during peak hours, and $2.50 for two zones during peak hours. If the plan were to win council approval, fares would rise by $1 in four years' time.

Metro is projecting a $213 million, two-year shortfall. Boosting fares, coupled with cuts and anticipated future income would allow the agency to trim just 4 to 6 percent of planned bus service, compared with cuts of up to 20 percent, the four council members said.

The members — Julia Patterson, of SeaTac; Reagan Dunn, of Maple Valley; Kathy Lambert, of Redmond; and Pete von Reichbauer, of Federal Way — say they want to preserve RapidRide, a series of improved transit lines serving Aurora Avenue, Ballard, West Seattle, Federal Way-SeaTac and Bellevue-Overlake-Redmond

Speaking at the Renton Transit Center, Dunn said the additional fare would allow buses to recover one-fourth of operating costs from riders, compared with one-fifth now.

Not all council members fully support the fare increase.

"I'm not at all convinced right now that such a dramatic fare increase is appropriate, given this tough economy," said Councilmember Bob Ferguson of Seattle.

Other proposals:

• Seek more money from Seattle for Metro's free-ride zone downtown, from $400,000 yearly now to around $3 million, Dunn said. Asked what leverage the county has, Lambert said if Seattle didn't contribute more, Metro could charge fares downtown.

Seattle Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis replied that the city already aids Metro in many ways — by dedicating Third Avenue to buses at peak times, for instance — so a bigger payment "is not something we're going to do."

• Cancel future foot-ferry lines, but keep existing Vashon Island and West Seattle routes.

• Tap a $105 million surplus in the fleet-replacement fund.

• Reduce the amount of future bus service that voters approved in the "Transit Now" measure of 2006 by almost 30 percent.

Seattle Times reporter Keith Ervin

contributed to this report.

Mike Lindblom: 206-515-5631 or mlindblom@seattletimes.com