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 –… Read More
2025 Holiday closure reminders
Please note most King County government offices will be closed Thursday, Dec. 25 for Christmas and Thursday, Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day. Metro buses will operate on Sunday schedule. For other transit holiday information, please see Metro holiday schedules. All County solid waste and transfer stations will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan 1. For garbage collection, please contact your hauler for details. District Court, Superior Court, and the Superior Court Clerk’s office will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan 1. For all other holiday closures and and service impacts, review the King County website.
King County Metro to briefly pause service twice on Thursday in honor of slain Transit Operator Shawn Yim
Crosposted from Metro Matters This week we will solemnly mark the anniversary of the murder of King County Metro Transit Operator Shawn Yim. Among other ceremonies, we will honor Shawn on Thursday, Dec. 18, by pausing service twice for a moment of silence and remembrance. All of Metro continues to mourn the loss and honor Shawn’s memory. Shawn was a kind and dedicated public servant, beloved by his family and friends, and was funny, warm and thoughtful to his colleagues and riders. Read more.
Cybersecurity training due Jan. 30, 2026
All King County employees are required to complete annual cybersecurity training by Jan. 30, 2026 (even if you took it last year). This includes contractors with access to King County systems. An email from King County’s vendor KnowBe4 was sent Aug. 4 to all employees with links to annual cybersecurity training, with periodic reminder emails for those employees who haven’t completed the training. This is not a phishing attempt. Please check your inbox for the email “King County Cyber Security Awareness Training” from kc-knowbe4@kingcounty.gov. Cybersecurity training is an important safeguard that helps protect vital King County… Read More
Deferred Compensation payroll deductions: Frequency is changing
Beginning Jan. 1, 2026, your King County Employees Deferred Compensation Plan deduction frequency will change from 24 pay periods per year to 26 pay periods per year. This means your annual Deferred Compensation contribution will be spread over more paychecks, as follows: If you contribute a flat dollar amount from each paycheck Your total annual contribution to your Deferred Compensation Plan will increase as your deduction schedule increases from 24 to 26 pay periods. Be sure to review your contribution amount to ensure it aligns with your retirement savings goals. Example: Your annual… Read More
Eligible PERS 2 members can switch to PERS 3 in January
Each January, certain members of Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) Plan 2 have the opportunity to make a permanent transfer to PERS Plan 3. If you are an active PERS Plan 2 member who began service before Sept. 1, 2002, and you will earn service credit in January, you are eligible to transfer to Plan 3. Use the resources on the Department of Retirement Systems website to help you decide if transferring to Plan 3 is right for you. To transfer from Plan 2 to Plan 3, complete a Member Transfer form and return it by… Read More
Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave premiums to increase in 2026
The Employment Security Department recently announced that premium rates for the Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave program will be changing next year. Beginning Jan. 1, 2026: The premium rate will increase from 0.92% to 1.13% of your gross wages. Employers will pay 28.57% of the total premium and employees will pay 71.43%. This is a slight change from 2025 when the ratio was employer 28.48% and employee 71.52%. The Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave program is funded by mandatory premiums collected from employees and employers in Washington state. By law,… Read More
King County Road crews monitoring, responding 24/7 to flooding
Crossposted from King County Local Road Services Division crews with the Department of Local Services have been monitoring and responding to roadways and bridge conditions in unincorporated King County throughout this historic storm. Heavy rainfall and flooding have overwhelmed roads and bridges across the region. As Western Washington braces for another atmospheric river next week, the impacts from this week’s extreme weather are far from over. In other words, expect continued road closures as conditions change. (At the time of this blogpost, nearly 30 roads in unincorporated King County were closed, with… Read More
King County DNRP employees continue 24/7 flood response after rapid levee repairs, repurposing trails for emergency responders, treating two billion gallons of wastewater
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. King County Executive Girmay Zahilay on Friday hosted Gov. Bob Ferguson’s press briefing at a levee along the Green River where DNRP’s Flood Patrol discovered a sinkhole that could have potentially caused… Read More
Stranded but steady: Operator keeps Carnation Treatment Plant running during atmospheric river
Crossposted from Clean Water Stories When a powerful atmospheric river settled over King County this week, the Snoqualmie Valley experienced some of the most significant impacts. Floodwaters quickly covered rural roads around Carnation, cutting off access to neighborhoods, farms, and the Carnation Treatment Plant. Inside the plant, Wastewater Operator Tyler Stiltner suddenly found himself on an island. Surrounded by rising water and unable to leave, he became the only person able to keep the facility running while the storm intensified. His experience offers a firsthand look at what it means to protect… Read More
Employee News 