A Shuttle Ride to the Trailhead

A pilot program by King County Metro and the King County Parks Department in the state of Washington found success in 2017, and is spending the beginning of 2018 looking at options to expand.

1 minute read

March 15, 2018, 11:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Issaquah Alps

Jesse Hey / Flickr

King County, Washington announced earlier this month that it is planning on continuing and potentially expanding the popular Trailhead Direct pilot program it launched in 2017. An article on the Washington Trails Association website explains:

Last summer, the pilot program developed as a joint effort, on behalf of King County Metro and King County Parks Department, to reduce vehicle congestion at popular trailheads in the Issaquah Alps. It was a step towards ensuring more equitable access and public transportation to trails as the demand for hiking opportunities around Seattle, Issaquah and North Bend continue to grow. 

About 900 hikers used the shuttle last year, or 40 per day that service was in operation. A survey of riders found positive results in parking congestion at trailheads, and demand for expanded service. In response to that demand, "the two King County agencies plan to optimize the bus routes and time schedules to accommodate more riders," according to the article. "They will also be discussing the possible expansion to North Bend and other urban centers." 

Friday, March 9, 2018 in Washington Trail Association

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

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

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.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

Flat modern glass office tower with "County of Santa Clara" sign.

Santa Clara County Dedicates Over $28M to Affordable Housing

The county is funding over 600 new affordable housing units via revenue from a 2016 bond measure.

May 23 - San Francisco Chronicle

Aerial view of dense urban center with lines indicating smart city concept.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant

A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

May 23 - Governing

Pale yellow Sears kit house with red tile roof in Sylva, North Carolina.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing

Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.

May 23 - The Daily Yonder