Alerts Center

Emergency Service

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How to know if the Emergency Service Network is in effect

Check the Snow, Ice & Flood Map to see if the service area map has changed to blue. A blue map indicates the ESN is in effect.
Sign up for Transit Alerts to get ESN alerts sent to you
The Metro Online home page will indicate the ESN is in effect.

Be prepared

When Metro may activate the ESN

During the worst weather or other emergency conditions, Metro may activate its emergency service Network (ESN).

That means Metro service will be severely reduced to core bus routes and shuttles serving only key arterials and transit centers. Some neighborhoods and areas of the county will have no bus service because of difficult travel conditions or geography.

The Snow, Ice & Flood Map on Metro Online will be blue when the ESN is activated. Metro will also send alerts to all customers who have signed up for Metro Transit Alerts. Customers without internet access should pay close attention to television, radio and other media weather bulletins that refer to "Metro's Emergency Service Network."

The ESN is designed to be reliable during the most severe weather conditions. Each ESN route will follow its regular or adverse weather routing as described in its timetable.

Routes 2, 71, 90, 102, 221, 255, 348 and the C-Line operate as chained shuttles for all or portions of their routing. Passengers may have to transfer to another chained coach.

Please note that there may be delays in the route's regular operating schedule due to unexpected road conditions. Please check the Metro Online Alerts Center for the latest information. It will not be possible for Metro to say when buses will be at specific locations.

ESN Routes

The table below lists the origins and destinations for the routes in operation when the ESN is in effect.

Route #	Destination	Route Map
2 Shuttle	West Queen Anne circulator	Map
3 North	Downtown Seattle – North Queen Anne	Map
3 South	Downtown Seattle – Madrona	Map
5	Downtown Seattle – Greenwoood – Shoreline	Map
7	Downtown Seattle – Rainier Beach	Map
10	Downtown Seattle – Capitol Hill	Map
16	Downtown Seattle – Northgate	Map
21	Downtown Seattle – Westwood Village	Map
22	Alaska Junction – Arbor Heights	Map
24	Downtown Seattle – Magnolia	Map
26	Downtown Seattle – East Greenlake	Map
31	University District – Magnolia	Map
32	University District – Seattle Center	Map
36	Downtown Seattle – Othello Station	Map
40	Downtown Seattle – Northgate	Map
41	Downtown Seattle – Lake City	Map
44	Ballard – Montlake	Map
48	Mount Baker – Loyal Heights	Map
65	University District – Lake City	Map
70	Downtown Seattle – University District	Map
71	Downtown Seattle – Wedgwood	Map
75	University District – Northgate	Map
90	Downtown Seattle – Capitol Hill	Map
101	Downtown Seattle – Renton	Map
102	Downtown Seattle – Renton*	Map
106	Downtown Seattle – Renton	Map
120	Downtown Seattle – Burien	Map
128	Admiral District – Southcenter	Map
140	Renton – Burien	Map
150	Downtown Seattle – Kent	Map
166	Kent – Des Moines – Burien	Map
168	Kent – Maple Valley	Map
169	Renton – Kent	Map
180	Burien – Kent – Auburn	Map
181	Green River CC – Twin Lakes P&R	Map
221	Eastgate – Redmond	Map
235	Bellevue – Kirkland	Map
245	Factoria – Kirkland	Map
248	Kirkland – Avondale	Map
255	Downtown Seattle – Kirkland – Brickyard P&R	Map
271	University District – Issaquah	Map
331	Kenmore – Shoreline	Map
345	Northgate – Shoreline	Map
348	Northgate – Richmond Beach	Map
358	Downtown Seattle – Aurora Village	Map
372	University District – Woodinville*	Map
ST 522	Downtown Seattle – Woodinville	Map
ST 545	Downtown Seattle – Redmond	Map
ST 550	Downtown Seattle – Bellevue	Map
ST 554	Downtown Seattle – Issaquah	Map
ST 560	Bellevue – West Seattle*	Map
RapidRide A Line	Tukwila – Federal Way	Map
RapidRide B Line	Redmond – Bellevue	Map
RapidRide C Line	Downtown Seattle – Westwood Village	Map
RapidRide D Line	Downtown Seattle – Crown Hill	Map
*Weekday only

ESN Operating Schedules

The ESN is designed to be reliable during the most severe weather conditions. Each ESN route (except Route 2) will follow its normal operating schedule as best as possible. The Route 2 shuttle will operate about four trips per hour between approximately 5:30 am to 1:00 a.m. Please note that there may be delays due to unexpected road conditions. Please check the Metro Online Alerts Center at www.kingcounty.gov/metro/alerts for the latest information.

Route 90 Map and Service

Special snow service for downtown Seattle, First Hill and Capitol Hill

When the Central Seattle area map color in the Metro Online Alerts Center turns turns RED, Metro will also activate service on its special Route 90 circulator route. The Route 90 number will not be on the bus stop signs. However, the Route 90 will serve all bus stops along the route shown in the map below. Route 90 will provide about three trips per hour and operate between approximately 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Route 90 also operates when the Snow, Ice & Flood Map turns BLUE, meaning the Emergency System Network is in place.

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The King County Department of Transportation is providing this information as a service to the general public. While every attempt is made to provide accurate and timely information, estimates of the nature and duration of any particular route change or other event are subject to conditions beyond the control of King County and are difficult to predict. Those relying on this information should do so at their own risk, and neither King County nor any of its employees or agents shall be liable for the accuracy of this information or any actions taken as a result.