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Metro’s new Tukwila Base
Tukwila Base will be King County Metro’s first 100% zero-emissions bus base and the agency’s first large-scale construction of a charging facility for battery-electric buses (BEBs). This new base will serve as a pilot to inform how to convert and operate Metro’s seven other bus bases into battery-electric compatible facilities. Tukwila Base will build on the lessons learned from Metro’s South Base Test Facility and signals Metro’s continued commitment and journey towards a zero-emissions (ZE) fleet.
The path to a name
In 2017, Metro started planning an “Interim Base” as a temporary facility at South Campus. By 2020, as Metro sped up its transition to a zero-emissions fleet, these plans changed to create Metro’s first fully electrified base and its first new permanent base in decades. And a permanent base needs a permanent name. After careful review by community and several Metro teams, including Zero Emissions, Government Relations and Community Engagement, the name “Tukwila Base” emerged as the top choice. The new name honors the legacy of the neighborhoods that this facility will connect and the critical service that transit provides.
Base location
Tukwila Base is located next to King County Metro’s existing South Base in Tukwila, Washington. This location was selected in order to focus zero-emission service in the communities of south King County that have been more greatly impacted by fossil fuel pollution than other Puget Sound neighborhoods.
Property details
- 544,000 square feet
- 10 megawatts (MW) of power from Seattle City Light
- 120 Battery-Electric Buses (BEBs)
- 123 BEB Pantograph Chargers
A soft launch
Fall 2025 to spring 2026
Following the completion of major construction, Metro will initiate a soft launch, where the base will only be open to Metro employees. This period will allow all impacted divisions the opportunity to evaluate, adapt and improve business processes related to zero-emission buses before the base starts official operations.
The soft launch will run from fall 2025 to spring 2026. During this period, we will focus on preparing for the site transition, conducting process and procedure checks, expanding workforce training, and carrying out practice exercises. Expected outcomes include improved safety and security, enhanced employee readiness, greater operational efficiency, and the establishment of a positive organizational culture.
Base Activation Team
Staff from every division at Metro are working together to ensure the successful construction and operational readiness of Tukwila Base. We are supported in this effort by a variety of agency, consultant and vendor partners.
Agency Partners: City of Tukwila; Federal Transit Administration; Seattle City Light; Washington State Department of Enterprise Services (DES).
Consultant & Vendor Partners: ABB, BL Iron, Car Media Lab, Cochran, Gillig, LPD Engineering, LundOpsal, McKinstry, New Flyer, Rolluda Architects, Schunk, Stantec, Tunista, Zemek Construction
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2022
Planning and conceptual design completed.
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2024
Engineering design completed, groundbreaking and beginning of construction.
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2025
Substantial completion of construction and beginning of soft launch.
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2026
Base opens and begins operations.
Our zero emissions resources
Metro will only meet our goal of zero emissions by 2035 by facing challenges head on. To do this, we are piloting programs and testing environments, and actively engaging with industry leaders, peer agencies, and the private sector to learn and share our experiences.
Below you’ll find technical documents, feasibility studies, climate reports, and other information that has guided our journey to zero emissions.
King County Metro Zero Emission Bus Fleet Transition Plan (2022)
This document outlines Metro’s strategy for deploying zero emission buses and chargers as well as transitioning Metro’s seven bases to support zero emission buses by 2035. This plan is required by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in order to be eligible for the FTA Low or No Emission Grant Program.
King County's Strategic Climate Action Plan (2020)
This plan is a five-year blueprint for County climate action, integrating climate change into all areas of County operations and work with King County cities, partners, communities, and residents. The SCAP outlines King County’s priorities and commitments for climate action to residents and partners. Specifically, the SCAP created a commitment for King County Metro to transition to a zero‐emission fleet powered by renewable energy by 2035 to eliminate greenhouse gases emitted by Metro’s bus fleet.
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) Transportation Electrification Plan (2021)
This plan, created in response to the Washington state legislature’s House Bill 1512, is a strategic framework for launching new electric mobility programs under PSE Up & Go Electric in the coming years. Some of these programs will support public fleets, like King County Metro, by providing planning assistance, cost estimates, make-ready infrastructure, and other incentive programs.
Seattle City Light Transit Electrification
This plan is a result of the Washington state legislature’s House Bill 1512, which enables electric utilities to incorporate transportation electrification into utility modernization. During the development of the plan, community outreach showed that electrifying public transit was the top priority of Seattle’s BIPOC, immigrant, refugee, and low-income communities who experience the most harm from vehicle emissions. In response Seattle City Light has developed close partnerships with transit agencies (such as King County Metro and Sound Transit) working together to co-plan for the long-term electrification of Seattle’s public transit needs.
Battery Electric Bus Implementation Report (2020)
This report outlines the steps needed to transition to a zero emission bus fleet, which include procuring battery-electric buses, constructing new facilities, setting charging standards, partnering with utilities, and training the workforce to operate and maintain this new vehicle technology. This report was a precursor to the King County Metro Zero Emission Bus Fleet Transition Plan that was finalized in 2022.
The University of Washington (UW) Mobility Innovation Center collaborated with King County Metro to evaluate whether a public-private partnership (P3) model would be beneficial to a zero emission bus base conversion compared to traditional construction delivery methods. The final report includes a P3 decision-making framework and screening tool, a P3 RFP process map, P3 RFP best practices, and an evaluation of KCM’s opportunity to engage in a P3 using the tools developed through the project.
King County Auditor’s Office Bus Electrification Best Practices Review (2020)
This document is a review of best practices for transit bus electrification. This report summarizes key areas that Metro should include in its planning, and county decision-makers should consider as part of oversight of electrification efforts, including: evaluating the impacts of electrification and service expansion/reduction on GHG emissions; tracking and reporting on changes in key inputs and assumptions to assess how they affect the projected cost of electrification; and developing and documenting plans for service, capital project and charging infrastructure, workforce, fuel, and finances.
Metro's report on Feasibility of Achieving a Carbon-Neutral or Zero-Emissions Fleet (2017)
This report responded to Motion 14633, in which the King County Council requested an assessment of the feasibility of achieving either a carbon-neutral or a zero emission Metro vehicle fleet. Several alternatives were evaluated and the assessment considered service needs, costs, necessary supporting systems, environmental results, and social equity benefits. The report ultimately recommended that Metro should transition to a zero-emission bus fleet powered by renewable energy, and focus early deployment of zero-emission buses in the communities that are most vulnerable to air pollution.
Zero-Emission Bus Evaluation Results: King County Metro Battery Electric Buses (2018)
This report summarizes the experience and results from King County Metro’s battery electric bus demonstration which took place from April 2016 through March 2017. FTA collaborated with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to conduct in-service evaluations of advanced technology buses developed under its programs. King County Metro was selected as a participant in this program because the agency was an early leader in testing battery electric buses.
King County Metro South Base Test Facility Charger Summary (2024)
This document is a summary of Metro’s South Base Test Facility electric bus chargers and their technical specifications.
King County Metro Zero Emission Bus Summary (2024)
This document is a summary of Metro’s current fleet of zero emission buses and their technical specifications.