Transportation Terms#
BAT Lane (Business Access and Transit)#
A dedicated lane that prioritizes buses while still allowing other vehicles to use it briefly for right turns and to access adjacent driveways. BAT lanes are less restrictive than fully bus-only lanes.
Why it matters: BAT lanes on SR 522 in Bothell are already open and in use by current bus service, supporting the future Stride S3 BRT line. They speed up bus travel while maintaining access for local businesses – a common compromise in suburban corridors.
See also: Stride, Transit Signal Priority
Learn more: Sound Transit: BAT Lanes Open in Bothell | King County Metro: RapidRide
BRT (Bus Rapid Transit)#
A bus system designed to be as fast and reliable as light rail. Features include dedicated lanes, off-board fare payment, all-door boarding, frequent service (every 10-15 minutes), and branded stations. Unlike regular bus service, BRT emphasizes speed and reliability through infrastructure investments.
Why it matters: Bothell will be served by three BRT systems by the early 2030s: Sound Transit’s Stride S3 (SR 522), Stride S2 (I-405), and Community Transit’s Swift Green Line Extension (into downtown Bothell). This convergence of BRT investment is transforming Bothell’s transit landscape and triggering zoning changes under HB 1491.
Learn more: Sound Transit: Stride BRT | Community Transit: Swift BRT
Complete Streets#
A street design approach that considers all users – pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and drivers – not just cars. May include wider sidewalks, protected bike lanes, bus-only lanes, and traffic calming.
Why it matters: Bothell’s Citywide Bike Plan (2023) and the $63 million Bothell Way NE Multimodal Improvements project reflect a shift toward complete streets design. As Bothell transitions from a “predominantly motorized vehicle-only suburban community to a multimodal community,” complete streets principles guide how new road projects are designed.
See also: Vision Zero, Mode Share
Learn more: Bothell Citywide Bike Plan | Getting Around Bothell
Induced Demand#
The phenomenon where adding road capacity generates additional traffic, typically erasing congestion benefits within a few years. Research shows a 10% increase in lane capacity correlates with roughly 9% more traffic.
Why it matters: Induced demand is frequently cited in debates about highway expansion, including the I-405/Brickyard to SR 527 project adding express toll lanes through Bothell. Understanding induced demand reframes transportation debates from “how do we reduce congestion” to “how do we reduce driving.”
See also: VMT, Mode Share
Learn more: WSDOT: Congestion & Mobility Reports | The Urbanist: The Law of Induced Demand
LOS (Level of Service)#
A grading system (A through F) for traffic flow, where A means free-flowing and F means gridlock. Traditionally used to evaluate intersections and roads from a car driver’s perspective.
Why it matters: LOS has historically been used to block dense development or transit projects because they’d “worsen traffic.” Urbanists argue that LOS is a car-centric metric that shouldn’t drive land use decisions. Washington state passed reforms allowing cities to use alternative metrics like VMT.
See also: VMT, Complete Streets
Learn more: MRSC: Transportation Planning
Mode Share#
The percentage of trips taken by each transportation mode (driving, transit, biking, walking). Bothell’s current commute mode share shows heavy car dependence: 55% drive alone, 4.3% use transit, 1.5% walk, and 0.2% bike.
Why it matters: Mode share measures whether investments in transit, bike lanes, and walkability are actually changing behavior. Bothell’s high work-from-home rate (30%) reflects post-pandemic shifts, but the city remains car-dominant for most trips. The BRT investments aim to shift this balance.
See also: VMT, Complete Streets
Learn more: Census Reporter: Bothell, WA | Bothell CTR Plan 2025-2029
Stride#
Sound Transit’s bus rapid transit (BRT) brand, with two lines serving Bothell. The S3 connects Shoreline South/148th Link station to Bothell along SR 522 (8 miles, 14 stations, 22-minute travel time). The S2 runs along I-405 from Burien to Lynnwood, connecting at the future Bothell/Woodinville Transit Center. Both lines feature battery-electric buses, off-board fare payment, all-door boarding, and 10-15 minute frequencies.
Why it matters: Stride represents the most significant transit investment in Bothell’s history. The S3 line will provide fast, frequent connections to Link light rail, dramatically improving transit access. Sound Transit built a $274 million electric bus operations and maintenance facility in Canyon Park to support the network. Opening target: 2028.
Learn more: Sound Transit: Stride S3 Line | The Urbanist: Sound Transit Breaks Ground on Stride Bus Base in Bothell
Swift#
Community Transit’s bus rapid transit (BRT) brand. The Swift Green Line currently runs along SR 527 from Boeing Everett to Canyon Park Park & Ride in Bothell, with 10-minute weekday frequency. A planned Green Line Extension will bring BRT from Canyon Park south into Downtown Bothell and UW Bothell/Cascadia College, adding up to 6 new stations by 2031.
Why it matters: The Swift Green Line Extension will provide frequent transit access to Downtown Bothell for the first time, connecting the campus area to Canyon Park and the broader Snohomish County transit network. Combined with Stride, it creates a multimodal transit hub in Bothell.
Learn more: Community Transit: Swift BRT | Bothell Way NE Multimodal Improvements
TOD (Transit-Oriented Development)#
Higher-density, mixed-use development concentrated near transit stations. The idea is that people living and working near good transit will drive less.
Why it matters: With Stride BRT stations coming to Bothell, TOD around those stations is one of the biggest development opportunities in the city’s history. Washington’s HB 1491 requires cities to allow increased density near BRT stops (at least 2.5 FAR within a quarter-mile), which will reshape station areas along SR 522 and I-405.
See also: Stride, HB 1491, Upzoning
Learn more: Sound Transit: Transit-Oriented Development | WA Legislature: HB 1491
Transit Signal Priority (TSP)#
A traffic signal control strategy that gives priority to transit vehicles at intersections. When a bus approaches, the system can extend a green light or shorten a red light to reduce delay.
Why it matters: Transit signal priority is a key component of BRT service. As Stride and Swift BRT lines are built through Bothell, TSP at intersections along SR 522 and Bothell Way NE will help buses maintain fast, reliable schedules without building fully dedicated lanes everywhere.
Learn more: Sound Transit: Stride BRT
Vision Zero#
A policy commitment to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries through street design, lower speed limits, and engineering rather than relying solely on enforcement.
Why it matters: Vision Zero gives advocates a framework to demand safer street design. Bothell’s Citywide Bike Plan and multimodal improvement projects incorporate safety-first principles. Understanding Vision Zero helps residents push for safer streets in their neighborhoods.
See also: Complete Streets
Learn more: WSDOT: Target Zero | Vision Zero Network
VMT (Vehicle Miles Traveled)#
Total miles driven by vehicles in an area. An alternative to LOS for measuring transportation system performance that doesn’t privilege car throughput.
Why it matters: Washington now allows cities to use VMT instead of LOS for evaluating development impacts. This policy shift can unlock denser development near transit in Bothell by removing the requirement that every project demonstrate acceptable car traffic levels.
See also: LOS, Mode Share
Learn more: WSDOT: VMT Targets Report (PDF) | MRSC: Transportation Planning
This page is a work in progress. Suggest additions.