Bellevue Council Recap: Major transit changes ahead: K-Line to save 26 mins on commute, Medic One levy renewal, and surprise Council resignation

Key updates from Feb 11 meeting:

• RapidRide K-Line details revealed: Will save commuters 20-26 minutes on the Totem Lake-Eastgate route. Implementation could save Metro $1M annually in operating costs. Service starts 2030.
• Medic One EMS levy renewal heading to November ballot. New levy rate of 25 cents per $1,000 assessed home value is actually less than current rate of 26 cents. Benefits include no bills sent to patients transported by paramedics, fast response times, trained paramedics which leads to 2-3x higher cardiac arrest survival rate compared to other cities (51%).
• Council Member Janice Zahn announced resignation (effective March 28) to focus on State Representative role, triggering upcoming appointment process for a new council member.

The K-Line transit presentation revealed some impressive numbers but also sparked debate about traffic impacts. While the new rapid transit line will significantly improve bus commute times, some streets like NE 8th could see 90-second delays. The council pushed hard for allowing employer shuttles to use the new bus lanes, which could be a game-changer for local tech companies’ transportation programs if state law changes allow it.

Dig in more:

• Full meeting on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKhAgyqsxEs
• Meeting details including PowerPoints: https://bellevue.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1253513&GUID=6F1680FC-0E9C-42F8-8D12-D853B38AD52C&Options=info|&Search=
• The K-Line presentation starts about 1:12:00 in. More details on K-Line: RapidRide K Line – King County, Washington
• The Medic One EMS levy is about 26:00 into the meeting.

I’m curious…with Bellevue growing rapidly and importing 90% of its workforce daily, do you think the K-Line will meaningfully impact your commute? Are you willing to accept some car traffic delays if it means better public transit?

Map showing areas that would have improved sidewalks, crossings, and bike lanes. Would Metro pay for this?

Metro’s proposal for where special BAT lanes (Business Access and Transit lane) which are lanes Lanes that provide some transit priority while still allowing right-turn vehicles These are not bus-only lanes. Bus only lanes would comprise less than 1% of the total K-Line. BAT lanes can sometimes improve traffic flow for everyone because they separate right-turning vehicles from through traffic.

More about BAT lanes since these seem new. https://www.kirklandwa.gov/files/sharedassets/public/v/1/public-works/cip/bat-lanes_h-line.pdf