Representatives from the City of Des Moines and Metro Transit will soon welcome a new transportation option in south King County – Route 635, the Des Moines Community Shuttle.

“It’s wonderful to see the results of the Metro Connects partnership between the County and the cities they serve. The new shuttle will provide an important transit connection to the Des Moines area,” said King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove, whose district includes Des Moines. “I am always happy to see improvements to our transportation infrastructure in South King County.”

Metro has been working with the City of Des Moines to increase transportation options within the city’s growing business district, connecting the Des Moines Creek Business Park, the downtown Des Moines Marina District and Sound Transit’s Angle Lake Light Rail Station. Currently there are no connections from the Business Park, where there are several businesses, and which will also house the new regional office for the Federal Aviation Administration, and Angle Lake, reducing the ability for workers to take light rail to work.

The Des Moines Community Shuttle, which begins service TODAY – Monday Jan. 29 – will provide a direct connection between the Business Park, the Marina District and Angle Lake Station. The shuttle, a part of Metro’s Community Connections, is a four-year demonstration program and a partnership between Metro, local governments and community partners to develop innovative and cost-efficient transportation solutions in areas of King County that don’t have the infrastructure, density, or land use to support regular, fixed-route bus service.