METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

King County Metro, WSDOT land $8M in FTA grant funds

Grants will help fund battery-electric buses and a pedestrian connection between a terminal and downtown Seattle, respectively.

August 28, 2019
King County Metro, WSDOT land $8M in FTA grant funds

The Seattle Department of Transportation estimates that close to half of the city’s workforce commutes by transit.

KC Metro

1 min to read


The Seattle Department of Transportation estimates that close to half of the city’s workforce commutes by transit. KC Metro

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced $8.1 million in grants to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and King County Metro to improve public transportation in the Seattle area.

FTA is providing $5.9 million through its Passenger Ferry Grant Program to WSDOT-Washington State Ferries to construct a pedestrian connection between the Seattle Multimodal Terminal at Colman Dock and downtown Seattle. In addition, FTA is providing $2.2 million through its Low or No Emission (Low-No) Vehicle Program to help King County Metro modernize its bus fleet.

Ad Loading...

The ferry grant, only one of nine nationwide that FTA announced earlier this month, will help Washington State Ferries construct an elevated pedestrian connection between the Seattle Multimodal Terminal and downtown Seattle. Washington State Ferries is the largest ferry system in the U.S., carrying 24.6 million passengers per year.

The Low-No grant for King County Metro will help the agency buy several battery-electric buses to replace diesel-hybrid buses that have exceeded their useful life. The new, more efficient buses will reduce operating costs and support growing ridership, which topped 103 million trips in 2018.

The Seattle Department of Transportation estimates that close to half of the city’s workforce commutes by transit.

More Bus

Rendering of the upgraded Derby-Shelton Train Station
Busby StaffMay 4, 2026

CTDOT Launches Four-Station Upgrades on Waterbury Line

Construction on all four stations is beginning now and is anticipated to be completed by spring 2028.

Read More →
East Colfax BRT
Busby StaffMay 4, 2026

Denver RTD breaks ground on Aurora segment of East Colfax BRT

The beginning of the final BRT segment advances construction across all five segments, reflecting steady progress toward shorter travel times, improved accessibility, and a more dependable connection to jobs, businesses, and community destinations.

Read More →
A VIA bus
Busby StaffMay 1, 2026

San Antonio's VIA Launches Next Round of Bus Improvements

The changes are designed to reduce overall travel time, shorten wait times, and get customers to their destinations more quickly.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Federal Reserve Bank visiting ENC
Busby StaffMay 1, 2026

Fed Leaders Highlight Growth, U.S. Manufacturing at ENC

The visit is part of the SF Fed's ongoing engagement with major employers and industries across Southern California and, more broadly, the western U.S. to better understand regional economic conditions and business outlooks.

Read More →
A person working on a bus
ManagementMay 1, 2026

Data-Driven Maintenance: Focusing Effort Where It Matters Most

Advances in data and analytics are giving transit agencies new opportunities to refine maintenance practices, improve efficiency and make more informed decisions about asset performance.

Read More →
frontrunner bus
SponsoredMay 1, 2026

ADA Compliant Transit: Easier, More Dignified Travel for Every Passenger

Today’s riders—and the communities you serve—expect more from public transit. While ADA compliance is required, leading transit agencies know that true accessibility also means delivering dignity, efficiency, and a better rider experience. This whitepaper reveals why forward thinking agencies nationwide choose the Low Floor Frontrunner as their first choice for ADA compliant vehicles—setting a new standard with passenger first design, faster boarding, improved safety, and unmatched operational performance.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Cover photo for Part 2 with Cecil Blandon
Managementby Alex RomanApril 30, 2026

Bus Tech Talk: Part 2 with AC Transit’s Cecil Blandon

In Part 2 of a two-part conversation, AC Transit’s director of maintenance joins co-hosts Alex Roman and Mark Hollenbeck to discuss his maintenance team’s work with various types of vehicle, training, augmented reality, and more.

Read More →
A Valley Metro bus
Managementby StaffApril 28, 2026

Keolis Contract Extended for Valley Metro's East Valley Fixed-Route Bus Service

Under this extension, Keolis will continue to manage and operate fixed-route bus service across the East Valley, serving communities including Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, the town of Gilbert, parts of Phoenix, and the Gila River Indian Community.

Read More →
A Des Moines DART bus
Busby StaffApril 28, 2026

Iowa DART Prepares for June Bus Network Launch

The new network reflects extensive input from riders and the community through Reimagine DART on what matters most in public transit — and those priorities are reflected in the changes ahead.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A Route 8 bus travels on Denny Way in congested traffic.
Busby StaffApril 24, 2026

Seattle Speeds up Service on Denny Way

A new bus lane project aims to improve reliability on one of King County Metro’s busiest and most congestion-prone corridors.

Read More →