It is very heartening to read that Bellevue College is willing to spend up to $200,000 in design improvements to keep King County Metro’s Route No. 271 to continue running through its campus as it does now to serve the students and staff who use Metro services.

It is highly commendable to note that our King County Councilmember, Jane Hague, was largely responsible for getting Metro to the bargaining table with Bellevue College. I am very hopeful that Jane will do the same with the city of Bellevue to collaborate with Metro on how to keep the Route 271 services running from Eastgate Park & Ride and continue on to Southeast Newport Way to Issaquah Park & Ride and back. Metro is currently planning to cut this service traveling to Issaquah and back.

I have been taking Metro bus service for 38 years to work and back. Cutting the Route 271 service to Issaquah will greatly affect me and other seniors who live at the Vasa Creek Senior Center. This is our lifeline, which will impact our getting around independently. Most of us are not driving and take the bus to do our grocery shopping, medical appointments, volunteer commitments and other necessities. It is imperative to keep Route 271 running on its present service to Issaquah and back to Eastgate Park & Ride where we transfer to other buses going to Factoria, Bellevue Transit and Crossroads.

Many residents in this area of Bellevue along Newport Way do not speak English and using Metro is their only way of getting around to these familiar areas.

Metro Route 271 connects us and the many Bellevue College foreign exchange students who live in the Eastgate area to easily travel to college and back.

Farida Hakim, Bellevue