Mountlake Terrace Mayor Kyoko Matsumoto-Wright, Kenmore Mayor Nigel Herbig and King County Councilmember Rod Dembowski gathered on Wednesday to celebrate the launch of Metro Flex.

It was Sept. 18, the middle of the month, the middle of the week, and the middle of the day — 1:30 p.m.— at Kenmore Middle School, which has the King-Snohomish County line running through the middle of the campus.

Even the weather was split between clouds and sunshine.

King County Mobility Division Director Christina O’Claire said the significance of being at a middle school was purposeful because, depending on where you live, it could mean you’re in the middle of public transit routes, yet still far away from them.

“We are really proud to offer a system in which transportation is not a barrier but a gateway to destinations like life, work, schools, medical appointments and after-school programs,” O’Claire said. “Imagine getting in a vehicle with your friends that will connect you to the larger regional system.”

O’Claire said that King County recognizes that the fixed schedule is one of the deterrents for spontaneous people taking public transit. Especially for younger people who “just want to go.”

“This service respects people’s patterns of travel and how they live and doesn’t stop at an artificial boundary,” Dembowski said.

Mayor Matsumoto-Wright confirmed Dembowski’s statement by explaining her own life experience. She said that when she attended Kenmore Middle School as a child, she did not realize it was split between counties or that she was crossing county lines.

“I didn’t know when I was growing up that all these years later, I would become a transportation geek,” Matsumoto-Wright said. “I now take public transportation and absolutely love it.”

This pilot project is based on King County’s successful Metro Flex ride service and expands its offering to the Northshore region, including Mountlake Terrace and Kenmore.

Riders can use the Metro Flex app to book minivan rides between locations in north Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, Mountlake Terrace and Brier. Metro Flex Northshore operates Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

The service is $2.75 for adults and accepts Orca cards; minors ride for free. Children 13 and up can ride by themselves.

If you are traveling with a wheelchair or bicycle, please note this in the ride request. Vans are available to accommodate your needs.

For more information about the Metro Flex ride service, including hours and areas of availability, click here.

— Story and photos by Rick Sinnett