More Buses Will Travel on the Shoulder to Skip Traffic in Seattle

Soon, Sound Transit buses will start traveling on the shoulder to skip a perpetually congested stretch of I-5. Over a dozen Sound Transit and Community Transit express routes operate on the 2.5-mile stretch.

1 minute read

December 17, 2017, 9:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Seattle Freeway

This stretch of I-5 in Lynwood, just north of Seattle, will make even more room for buses this year. | Google Streetview

The Sound Transit Capital Committee have a contract with the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) that will allow Sound Transit buses to travel on the shoulder of Interstate 5 between 44th Ave W and 236th St SW. Stephen Fesler reports on the project, which is an early action of Sound Transit 3 (ST3).

"Known as 'bus-on-shoulder' (BOS) lanes, these facilities will be designated on inside shoulders adjacent to high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes," according to Fesler. "This will allow buses to weave in and out HOV lanes as needed to move closer to maximum highway speeds, expediting riders on an ever-crowed I-5."

The new BOS lanes could be operational by the end of 2018, at a cost of $265,421 for Sound Transit. The new BOS lanes will match existing lanes on I-4-5, and could gain company. "As part of a separate action, the Capital Committee approved a $375,000 feasibility study to evaluate other locations on regional highways that BOS lanes could be implemented, such as SR-167, SR-518, and other portions of I-5 and I-405," adds Fesler.

An article by Yonah Freemark from 2015 provides more background on how bus-on-shoulder service works.

Friday, December 15, 2017 in The Urbanist

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

July 14 - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14 - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

July 14 - Los Angeles Public Press