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Issaquah council directs Metroflex service area change to include Highlands, asks for quarterly review
Summary
Council discussion on renewing the Metroflex microtransit contract focused on coverage, cost (about $260,000/year) and performance. Council instructed staff to negotiate a revised service area adding parts of Issaquah Highlands while removing Squawk coverage, and to report quarterly performance metrics.
Deputy City Administrator Andrea Leonard and staff presented options for renewing the Metroflex on‑demand transit pilot and asked council for direction on contract terms and coverage.
Metroflex provides on‑demand ridership in Issaquah as a pilot (2024–25) at roughly $260,000 per year. Staff showed utilization maps from recent service quarters and noted tradeoffs: adding coverage in Issaquah Highlands at the same cost would require removing Squawk Mountain coverage due to vehicle hours and travel‑time constraints. Andrea Leonard said the administration had no specific recommendation to change hours or terms beyond the proposed service‑area revision but sought council guidance on coverage and evaluation cadence.
Council members expressed mixed views: some supported expanding into Highlands to capture denser, transit‑oriented neighborhoods and equity priority areas; others said removing Squawk would cut the only transit option for steep‑slope neighborhoods and risk excluding riders who cannot walk to lower elevations. Council Member Jang said the $40 per‑ride figure cited for Metroflex felt high and recommended a Q1 performance review of the revised area. Several councilors suggested studying alternative options, including a city‑run circulator shuttle, but noted staff resources and budget constraints.
Council consensus: staff should revise the contract service area to add portions of Issaquah Highlands and reduce coverage of Squawk Mountain, then negotiate contract terms with King County Metro and return with quarterly performance metrics after the service change is implemented. Final contract approval is contingent on the council providing the mid‑biennium funding under the adopted budget.
Next steps: Administration will negotiate contract language with Metro Transit to reflect the new service boundary and — pending council approval of budgeted funds — the mayor would execute the contract under staff spending authority; staff will provide quarterly performance metrics and revisit alternative service concepts in early 2026.
