Resolution No. 5323, authorizes the Mayor to execute a 4th Amendment to the Transit Service Direct Financial Partnership Agreement between the City of Auburn, King County and the Pierce County Transit Benefit Authority (Pierce Transit).

In 2008, the City entered into the original agreement to provide for additional transit service within the City and in 2010 implemented the Lakeland Hills-Auburn Sounder Station Shuttle Service (Route 497).  In September of 2017, Sound Transit added an additional train service on weekdays to both the morning and evening commute periods to and from Seattle, respectively.  Amendment #4 to the Agreement provides for increased shuttle service on Route 497 to meet these additional weekday trains.  If the Agreement is approved, the additional service is anticipated to begin by January 8, 2018.

The Agreement splits the costs of the Route 497 shuttle service three ways between the City, King County Metro, and Pierce Transit.  The additional costs to the City to provide this additional service for 2018 is $29,472.00.  This will require a future 2018 budget amendment to fund and funding is available within the 102 Arterial Street Fund. 

In 2016, the annual ridership of Route 497 was at 67,250 boardings.  Through October of 2017 the annual ridership was already at 65,372 boardings and is anticipated to continue growing.