Implementing VISION 2050 and the Regional Transportation Plan, PSRC works with all of the region’s transit providers, including the state ferry system, to coordinate planning and provide effective and sustainable transit options for the region.
While transit agencies provide critical service to the region, PSRC also coordinates with specialized transportation providers to better serve people with accessibility and mobility needs who may not have full access to transit through the Coordinated Mobility Plan. As the region continues to grow, PSRC will continue to plan for a more convenient, flexible, and safe transit network for all communities in the region.
The VISION 2050 Regional Growth Strategy assumes 65% of the region’s population growth and 75% of the region’s job growth will locate in regional growth centers and near high-capacity transit. PSRC’s Regional Transportation Plan recognizes transit mode and quality of service relies heavily on land use context in which it operates. PSRC, in conjunction with the region’s transit operators, developed a framework for analyzing transit service gaps associated with different densities of people and jobs throughout the region. The 2026 Current Transportation System Report introduces this concept, shares regional analysis that identifies current transit service gaps, identified as areas that meet the minimum density threshold for services, but do not have that level of transit service provided.
| Density | Frequency & Span | Transit Service |
|---|---|---|
| At least 7 people + jobs per acre | Service with at least 2 trips per hour between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. | Local Transit |
| At least 15 people + jobs per acre | Service with at least 3 trips per hour between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. | All Day Service |
| At least 25 people + jobs per acre | Service with at least 4 trips per hour between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. | Frequent Service |
| At least 40 people + jobs per acre | BRT, Light Rail, Commuter Rail or ferry at varying frequencies and spans | High-Capacity Transit |
PSRC collaborates with transit providers to identify key transit needs and services in the 2026 Future Transportation System Report. This information is used to guide transit development to areas with high levels of growth
The 2026 RTP System Performance Report describes the planned regional and local transit expansion expected by 2050 in the central Puget Sound region. PSRC identifies transit gaps in local, all day, frequent, and high-capacity transit, and projects transit availability change, based on long-range planning inputs from transit agencies. Changes in transit service gaps are tracked by county, geographies such as urban and rural areas, and areas with higher underserved population groups to adequately describe system change impact on different populations. All these analyses predict a varying reduction in transit service gaps.
Key changes in transit service include a decrease in local transit service gaps from 33% today to around 15% in 2050 and a significant reduction in transit gaps for frequent and high-capacity transit during this same time. The smallest gaps by transit service type are for frequent transit type: those with at least 4 trips per hour between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. This type of service is planned in all four counties by 2050. Lastly census tracts with the highest shares of youth tend to have the highest gaps across the transit service types.
This table shows the anticipated All-Day Transit gap (within a ¼ mile) reduction by county from the current system (2023) to 2050.
| Geography | 2023 | 2035 | 2050 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | Share | Population | Share | Population | Share | |
| 1/4 Mile | ||||||
| King County | 273,700 | 30% | 261,700 | 21% | 104,200 | 6% |
| Kitsap County | 12,900 | 100% | 3,500 | 13% | 17,300 | 36% |
| Pierce County | 95,800 | 83% | 248,400 | 99% | 407,300 | 98% |
| Snohomish County | 69,100 | 40% | 98,200 | 31% | 125,500 | 26% |
| Region | 443,500 | 36% | 606,100 | 33% | 650,600 | 25% |
Details of these projections and analysis can be found in the System Performance Report. Future transportation system plans can be viewed in the Transportation System Visualization Tool.
PSRC awards federal transportation funding to priority transit projects through the biennial project selection process. These projects support planned transit service expansion across the region.
Key Transit Topics and Resources
- Regional Transportation Plan
- Regional Transportation Plan Performance Dashboard
- Transit Access
- Transit-Oriented Development
- Transit Agencies Triennial Review Information
Related Committees
Past Studies and Planning Work
- Passenger-Only Ferry Study (2021)
- Transit Integration (2014-2023)