Metro completes study on possible transit improvements for Route 106

This blog post is also available in:

King County Metro (Metro), in collaboration with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), King County Road Services, and the City of Renton, has completed a study on transit improvements for Route 106 to reduce bus travel times and improve reliability.

Route 106 serves 5,000 riders each weekday and operates every 10–15 minutes most of the day. Currently, Route 106 buses are delayed 32% of the time, making this route a candidate for investments to address delays and inconsistent travel times.

In early 2025, the project identified potential transit improvements that can provide faster, more reliable bus service to thousands of Route 106 riders. To understand how riders use Route 106, their concerns, and preferred changes, Metro shared transit improvements with the community for input in fall 2025. Metro gathered feedback through a multilingual online survey, a Metro Matters multilingual blog post, and in-person business and rider outreach. Between September 9 and October 3, 2025, the team connected with 345 individuals across all in-person and online activities in Renton, Skyway, and Rainier Valley.

Thank you to those who took the time to engage with our team on how to improve Route 106 service in their neighborhoods.

Key themes from the community

The feedback gathered revealed several consistent themes across audiences. Overall, we heard that reliability, frequency, travel time, safety, and stop conditions should be improved. Riders and businesses overwhelmingly support changes that make the route faster, safer, and more reliable while ensuring equitable access and comfortable, well-maintained stops.

Below is an overview of the key themes that emerged from our findings. To learn in more detail about the outreach methods, community feedback, and key findings per outreach activity, you can access the full community engagement report.

• Route 106 is Essential for Daily Life: Route 106 connects residents, workers, students, and businesses to key destinations and light rail stations. Businesses reported that many customers and employees rely on Route 106, demonstrating the route’s economic importance. Over half of businesses believe improvements to Route 106 could increase customer traffic. Survey respondents affirmed the importance of Route 106. Nearly two-thirds (63.8%) want more frequent service, and over half (54.3%) want more reliable arrivals. Almost half (46.7%) desire faster travel times once on the bus.
• Reliability and Frequency are Top Concerns: Participants generally value Route 106’s frequent service but noted inconsistencies in bus arrivals, especially compared to other routes. Riders shared that delays and inconsistent arrivals make trip planning difficult, particularly during peak hours or evenings. Improving schedule reliability and maintaining even spacing between buses would enhance rider confidence and comfort.
• Strengthening Connections and Communication: Across engagement events, participants emphasized the importance of reliable connections between Renton, Skyway, Rainier Valley, and downtown Seattle. Some riders were not fully aware of how Route 106 links to major destinations. Others expressed a desire for direct service to downtown Seattle or other essential destinations.
• Safety is a Major Concern On and Off the Bus: Safety emerged as one of the most consistent concerns, particularly near libraries and high-traffic intersections. Riders and businesses highlighted dangerous crossings, inadequate lighting, and long signal waits. They also expressed concerns about behavior at stops and on buses, with many asking for security presence and fare enforcement. Improving these conditions would not only enhance pedestrian safety but also encourage more people to use transit confidently, especially during early morning and evening hours.
• Buses and Stops Need Upgrades: Maintaining clean and welcoming stops and buses also emerged as an important factor in rider experience. People also want newer, larger (articulated or double) buses to reduce crowding. Participants linked cleanliness and comfort to perceptions of safety, highlighting that well-maintained stops and clean buses encourage regular transit use. Bus stop functionality also needs significant upgrades. The community wants more shelters, seating, and real-time information. Businesses also recognize the value of nearby bus service but stress the importance of safe, clean, and accessible stop areas.
• Equity, Inclusive Access, and Culturally Responsive Outreach: Many Route 106 riders are low-income, elderly, disabled, immigrant, or unhoused, and the route serves as a lifeline for essential travel. Participants stressed that changes must not reduce access or disproportionately impact vulnerable users. Survey respondents shared concerns about potential bus stop removals or other changes that could make travel less accessible. Commenters emphasized the importance of meaningful and direct outreach within specific communities to ensure improvements reflect the needs of all users.

Planning study outcomes

The study followed a structured, two‑stage screening process evaluating transit performance, safety, access, equity, traffic and curb impacts, and implementation feasibility. Collaboration with SDOT, King County Road Services, and the City of Renton helped identify, consolidate, and evaluate improvement concepts. Community engagement shaped the final preferred alternative.

The final preferred alternative includes seven improvement types: bus stop consolidation, stop relocations and pedestrian crossings, bus bulbs, signing improvements, roadway rechannelization or widening, signal phasing, and transit signal priority.

• Bus Stop Consolidation: Twenty stops are consolidated, including pairs near light rail stations, to reduce dwell time.
• Bus Stop Relocations and Pedestrian Crossings: Six stop relocations (primarily to far-side placements) and two pedestrian crossing enhancements improve reliability and safety.
• Bus Bulbs: Twelve stops will receive bus bulbs to eliminate delays caused by merging back into traffic.
• Signing Improvements: A signing change at MLK Jr Way S and Rainier Ave S allows northbound buses to turn directly into a bus-only lane, avoiding a merge.
• Roadway Rechannelization or Widening: Several locations will receive roadway modifications to improve transit flow and safety.
• Transit Signal Priority and Signal Phasing: Transit signal priority at 12 intersections will extend or advance green lights for Route 106 buses to reduce red-light delays.

Using community input, transit analysis, and Equity Priority Areas, the project team developed 56 improvement concepts for advancement to the design phase, estimated to save 3–5 minutes per trip during peak hours (a 6–10% improvement). See the complete list of recommended route 106 improvements.

Next steps

The planning study recommendations will inform a future budget request for design and implementation, which are currently unfunded. Metro will continue monitoring funding opportunities and will conduct additional community engagement once the design phase begins.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.