I am writing in response to your publication’s article dated April 27 regarding the Mercer Island City Council hearing on the Transportation Improvement Program.

One way the city could improve transportation on Mercer Island is by getting on King County Metro about the subpar service currently being provided on the Island’s local bus routes 204 and especially the 630. Route 630 was suspended from March 2020 to September 2021, and despite being restored last fall, service since January of this year has tanked to the point that roughly half the scheduled trips no longer run.

Metro does not seem to be doing anything about the problem. It would be helpful if city officials talked with the agency about a solution. Not all Islanders live within reasonable walking distance of the 216, 550 or 554 bus stops at the Park and Ride on North Mercer Way. For the rest of us who depend on the other routes, the schedule issues on the 204 and 630 have devolved into a bad joke that needs to be fixed.

Before the 630, there used to be another route several years ago that ran along SE 24th Street (the old 202, not the new one being proposed). It ran like clockwork compared to the new route. I have never encountered so many issues trying to travel as I have in the last few months with this current bus. If we the people are supposed to pay taxes to fund the transit agency, then we should be getting something of equal value in return.

Dorian A. Walsh

Mercer Island