Public Hearing on Metro Bus Cuts Set for Tuesday

King County officials will hold a public hearing in Seattle on Tuesday to gather community input on a round of bus cuts that would eliminate 65 Metro routes and reduce service on an additional 86 routes.

Routes 201, 203, 205EX, 210, 211, 213 and 216 are among the routes serving Mercer Island that could be deleted. At risk of reduction are routes 202, 204, 205 and 214.

The cuts have been proposed to help Metro bridge a $75-million annual budget gap when a $20 temporary congestion reduction car-tab fee expires next year. 

Tuesday's meeting will take place at Union Station, 401 S. Jackson St. in Seattle. It begins with an open house at 3:30 p.m., followed by public testimony at 4 p.m. 

For those who cannot attend, online comments are also being accepted. 

More info on the proposed cuts is available via an earlier story on Mercer Island Patch.