The Metropolitan King County Council will take public testimony on legislation that would increase transit rider fares as part of an overall package to maintain Metro Transit Service levels.

Tuesday, Feb. 18

1:30 p.m.

County Council Chambers

King County Courthouse, 10th floor

The meeting will be carried LIVE on King County TV, seen on Comcast and Wave Cable Channel 22.

The fare increase, which would be implemented in March 2015, would raise fares by 25 cents for all fare categories for Metro Transit bus service. It would also increase fares for Access paratransit service by 50 cents in order to move towards Metro’s policy goal of achieving parity between its Access fare and off-peak adult fare over time.

The legislation would also authorize the creation of a reduced fare program for transit riders. It would set the fare at $1.50 and establish the eligibility threshold at 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, currently $22,980 for an individual and $47,100 for a family of four.

The fare increase is part of a proposal introduced by the County Executive last month to help maintain current Metro Transit service, which is preparing to cancel 74 bus routes and reduce and revise another 107 routes due to reduced revenues.