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RapidRide Art Plan

Elisheba Johnson and Kristen Ramirez

RapidRide

An art plan developed by artists shapes the future of the RapidRide experience.

Johnson|Ramirez. RapidRide Art Plan, 2020. King County, WA. Illustration: Aaron Bagley
The bus is not just a form of transportation. It is a moving community, a safe haven, and a reliable constant in people’s lives. –Elisheba Johnson and Kristen Ramirez
As King County Metro prepared to launch six new RapidRide lines between 2021 and 2025, 4Culture engaged Johnson and Ramirez—both artists and public art administrators—to create a cohesive plan to influence the future of the RapidRide experience. Over the course of eight months, they connected with bus drivers, King County Metro Staff, riders, and transit-lovers to inform the plan’s vision and recommendations. They hosted a public event on a Metro bus, during which artists guided meditation, read live poetry, and performed acoustic music. They invited the public and Metro staff to participate in surveys and attend open houses. They rode existing RapidRide lines, toured future lines, and rode the #49 with bus driver, blogger, filmmaker, and published author Nathan Vass. They interviewed Metro’s line leads and bus drivers, visited Metro bus bases and comfort stations, and much more.
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Johnson|Ramirez. RapidRide Art Plan, 2020. King County, WA. Photo: joefreemanjunior.com
Johnson|Ramirez. RapidRide Art Plan, 2020. King County, WA. Photo: joefreemanjunior.com
Johnson|Ramirez. RapidRide Art Plan, 2020. King County, WA. Photo: joefreemanjunior.com

About the Location

RapidRide

Launched in 2009 with the creation of the A Line, RapidRide is King County Metro’s premier transit service, a network of limited-stop bus routes that provide frequent trips in six major transit corridors covering 64 miles across the county—with additional lines scheduled to debut in the years ahead. Different from standard bus service, RapidRide lines…

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