Ringing in the New Year: King County Metro and regional transit agencies celebrate New Year’s Eve with free fares
Crossposted from Metro Matters
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay announced that Metro will join other regional transit agencies to provide free rides this New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31. Riders can travel without paying fares on King County Metro, Sound Transit, Community Transit, Everett Transit, Pierce Transit and the Seattle Streetcar as part of their holiday celebrations.
“Leaving the driving to us is becoming as great a New Year’s tradition as celebrating at the Space Needle,” Executive Zahilay said. “No matter where you plan to ring in the new year, you have access to free transit options to get you there!”
Regional transit agencies will operate on the following schedules to accommodate fare-free New Year’s Eve rides. Read more.
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Wishing all employees a joyful holiday season
Happy Holidays to all our employees and their loved ones. May you enjoy time together with joy and laughter. A special thank you to our employees who are working over the holiday. King County is grateful for your service.
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King County DNRP employees continue 24/7 flood response after rapid levee repairs, repurposing trails for emergency responders, treating 2 billion gallons of wastewater
Crossposted from DNRP Field Notes
In a wide range of actions that include rapid levee responses, operating the Flood Warning Program, repurposing trails to assist emergency responders, preparing transfer stations for a surge in debris, and treating more than 2 billion gallons of wastewater, King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks employees continue to contribute to a coordinated emergency response to the historic storm. Read more.
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VIDEO: Flood Patrol’s quick response helped a community evacuate flooding on the White River
Crossposted from DNRP Field Notes
It was just after midnight Tuesday when Josh Kubo and Craig Garric – two members of King County’s Flood Patrol – were inspecting a flood barrier along the White River when water seeping through suddenly became a breach.
As soon as the barrier collapsed, the crew members quickly adapted from monitoring to rescue. They reported the breach to the King County Flood Warning Center and then ran door to door in the middle of the night, guiding neighbors to an evacuation route.
A King County Sheriff’s Office deputy says their swift response likely saved lives.
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Employee safety reminders and resources
King County cares about the safety of our employees and provides a number of safety programs and resources to help you stay safe and informed.
Who to contact In an emergency, call 911 first, then call Facilities Management Division (FMD) Security at 206-296-5000 when you are able.
FMD Security Unit: Contact the Security Unit to seek assistance from FMD Security and report non-emergency incidents.
Web: FMD Security Unit | Phone: 206-296-5000 | Email: FMD.Security@kingcounty.gov Click here to report a security incident to the Facilities Management Division Security team.
Security Escort Program: Upon request, King County provides security escorts to employees in downtown Seattle to and from public transportation. Please contact the Emergency Dispatch Center (EDC) at 206-296-5000 to arrange for a security escort. FMD escorts go as far as the Coleman dock ferry terminal. Advance notice for a Security Escort is appreciated.
Home Free Guarantee: King County employees who come to work via bus, rail, streetcar, carpool, vanpool, biking, or walking are eligible for eight free taxi rides home each year in cases of personal emergency or unexpected requests to work overtime. Visit the Home Free Guarantee website to learn about who is eligible and how to arrange a ride.
After hour Courthouse badge access: Employees can badge back into the King County Courthouse if they feel unsafe waiting for the bus on Third Avenue outside the Courthouse until 8 p.m.
Stay informed about county emergencies with KCInform: Sign up for KCInform, King County’s employee alert and warning system. KCInform is used to reach County employees during an emergency with timely information about infrastructure disruptions, facility impacts, changes in your department’s business operations, and other critical impacts. Your King County desk phone and @kingcounty.gov email address are already in the KCInform system. If you are not currently registered with KCInform, or want to update your information, go to accountportal.onsolve.net/KCInform. Your County email address is your username, and you can use the password reset function if you have not logged in before. The service is free and your personal contact information is secure and protected. Visit the KCInform website and watch this short video to learn more.
Safety, Security, and Emergency Preparedness homepage: King County has a new intranet homepage where you can find all links to campus safety and security, safety at work, and emergency management webpages on kingcounty.gov and the intranet. The goal of the new homepage is to help King County employees to find this vital information quickly and easily. Click here to visit the site.
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Our top stories and videos for 2025
The twice-weekly King County Employee Newsletter is developed by the Employee Communications Team, within the Department of Human Resources (DHR). This newsletter regularly updates employees with important, relevant information. Throughout 2025, the newsletter shared exciting highlights, employee spotlights, emergency and safety news, notices about benefits and retirement, learning and development opportunities, and other essential information.
We are thankful to you, King County employees, for interacting with these stories, sharing ideas and opportunities to include, and encouraging others to engage with them. You inspire us to research, write, and develop meaningful, essential content that reflects the impact each King County employee can have, and the lives of residents in our community. The articles shared in the newsletter were also regularly posted on five additional employee-focused news outlets:
- The KC Employees News blog
- The King County Employee Intranet
- The King County Employees Vimeo channel
- The King County Employees YouTube channel, and
- The King County, WA LinkedIn account
We look forward to the coming year with excitement, and urge you to continue sharing your stories, ideas, and opportunities with us at KCEmployees@kingcounty.gov.
The 10 most popular stories of 2025
- House Bill 1270, allowing for automatic deferred compensation enrollment, championed by King County employees
- Construction to clog northbound I-5 this summer
- June is National Safety Month, and helpful safety resources
- Megan Pedersen appointed Chief People Officer for King County
- New way to access your employee information
- Available discounts for employees
- Juneteenth: A personal reflection on freedom, struggle, and pride as a Black man in modern America
- Active&Fit Direct change and new Optum One Pass Select program
- Advances made in building a more representative King County
- ‘We still brace ourselves, but now we can breathe easier’: Operators at West Point Treatment Plant credit new battery system for delivering reliable power during its first year
The five most popular videos of 2025
- Becoming a Best Run Government
- Workout at Work
- King County Wellness Hero Young Jang
- King County Wellness Hero Jeff Chan
- Balanced You Conversations – Matt Munson
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Connecting salmon back to their habitat: The Fish Passage Restoration Program
Jyoti Karna, intern at the Performance and Strategy (PSB) team, recently interviewed Evan Lewis and Rose LeSmith on the Fish Passage Restoration Program. The story highlights the incredible work underway to reconnect salmon to historic habitat by removing barriers like culverts and stream crossings across unincorporated King County – and the role monitoring plays in turning a long-term vision into a coordinated, measurable program. Read the full story here.
Take a moment to check out this story and explore others in the Monitoring in Action section to see how King County programs are turning data into impact. For more information about the portal, or to send your blog post idea, contact Sara Hospador at Sara.Hospador@kingcounty.gov.
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King County hosts national leaders in evidence-informed policymaking
Crossposted from the DES Express
More than 200 people attended a national convening in the Chinook Conference Center on Nov. 12, including about 100 attendees from across the country and an additional 100 King County employees. The event showcased leading practices in how local governments use data and evidence to advance equitable community outcomes. Read more.
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Resources to support mental and emotional health during a disaster
Making Life Easier (MLE) provides resources to support the mental and emotional health of you and your household members, including during and after natural disasters, such as the flooding King County is currently experiencing.
Employees and anyone residing in the employee’s home can call MLE at 888-874-7290 24/7 and reach a licensed counselor who can provide in-the-moment support over the phone and can connect you to work-life specialists who can help identify community resources for needs like housing, food, and personal care items. Read more.
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Get ready: Long-term I-5 impacts affecting your commute and personal trips – take transit and avoid stress
Repair and resurfacing of the northbound lanes of the Ship Canal Bridge will continue next year. Revive I-5 construction will have long-term impact on travel. That means the public will need to find long-term solutions to how they travel to and through Seattle.
During each lane closure or reduction, the express lanes will run northbound only, 24 hours a day. Express lanes are open to all. Be sure to observe all height restrictions and HOV-only signed ramps.
2026 dates to know
- Full closure as early as the weekend of Jan. 9 – 12*
- Months-long two-lane reduction as early as Jan. 12 – June 5**
- Full closure weekend of June 5 – 8*
- June 8 – July 10 (all lanes open for FIFA World Cup)
- Full closure weekend of July 10 – 13*
- Months-long two-lane reductions July 12 – end of 2026**
- Full closure weekend TBD (end of 2026)*
* Full northbound I-5 closures extend from I-90 to Northeast 45th Street
** Two-lane reductions extend from SR 520 to Northeast 45th Street
Employee News 