Kenmore Council to act on letter urging Metro to preserve Route 372 service

What the records say

Kenmore's City Council agenda for its July 13, 2026, meeting listed a consent agenda item to approve and authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to King County Metro regarding changes to Bus Route 372 ¹. The accompanying agenda bill describes the proposed changes as a reduction in bus frequency on the SR 522 corridor north of NE 145th Street from eight to four buses per hour, the elimination of all direct bus service between UW-Seattle, Lake City, and the Northshore communities including Kenmore, and no planned convenient transfer stops between King County Metro Route 72 and Sound Transit S3 at NE 145th Street and Lake City Way ¹. Staff recommended the Council request that Bus Route 372 service be maintained between UW-Seattle and the Northshore communities, including Kenmore ¹. The available records do not establish the meeting's outcome or the final text of the letter.

• The July 13, 2026, agenda listed a consent agenda item to approve and authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to King County Metro regarding changes to Bus Route 372.
• The agenda bill states the proposed changes would reduce bus frequency from eight to four buses per hour on the SR 522 corridor north of NE 145th Street, compared to current service levels.
• The agenda bill states the changes would eliminate all direct bus service between UW-Seattle, Lake City, and the Northshore communities of Lake Forest Park, Kenmore, and Bothell.
• Staff recommended the Council request that Bus Route 372 service be maintained between UW-Seattle through the Northshore communities, including Kenmore.

Why it matters

Route 372 is the direct bus connection between Kenmore and the University of Washington via Lake City ¹. Per the city's own agenda bill, the proposed changes would cut corridor frequency in half during ongoing Stride construction at NE Bothell Way and 61st Avenue NE and force Kenmore riders onto lengthy detours and multiple road crossings to transfer ¹. Staff also warned the reductions could push residents toward driving, increasing local greenhouse gas emissions ¹. The letter is the city's formal channel to press Metro to maintain that service ¹.

What changed / what's next

• The city placed a proposed action on its July 13, 2026, consent agenda to authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to King County Metro opposing Route 372 service changes, with staff recommending the city request the route's direct service be maintained. ¹
• Whether the Council approved the letter at the July 13, 2026, meeting; the supplied records do not establish the outcome. ¹
• The final content of the letter, which is not included in the supplied record. ¹
• Metro's and Sound Transit's final decisions on the proposed Route 372 service changes. ¹