New 'Flip Your Trip' initiative designed to ease traffic to and from West Seattle

As traffic volumes begin to return to pre-pandemic levels and the West Seattle Bridge remains closed, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) announced Thursday the start of its new "Flip Your Trip West Seattle" initiative.

The program, for those living and working in West Seattle, was designed to support people in getting around without driving alone and reduce the effects of the West Seattle Bridge closure.

West Seattle workers and residents can sign up at FlipYourTrip.org and view the alternative travel options available. New users will get a $25 sign-up bonus redeemable for free rides on select travel services. Travel options include transit, scooter and bike-share programs, and vanpools. The program also offers free travel planning guidance, special informational events, and the chance to earn more free credits.

The "Flip Your Trip West Seattle" program brings a new partnership between SDOT and King County Metro. The program covers riders’ first month of vanpool fares and provides assistance beyond that to eligible participants.

Riders can also receive their free rides using Metro’s Transit GO Ticket app, available on ios and Android. Riders can redeem their sign-up credits by clicking on the “rewards” button, which will appear as 2,500 rewards points, and earn additional credits by taking bike and scooter-share trips and using Metro. 

Those who sign up for the "Flip Your Trip West Seattle" program can redeem their credits on King County Metro busses, water taxis, Sound Transit, Seattle Streetcar, and bike and scooter share companies, such as Lime, LINK and Wheels.

SDOT announced last week that it would provide the necessary funding to increase water taxi service and continue daily sailing through the winter. 

Bus route changes are also coming on Oct. 2 which could affect travel in and around West Seattle. King County Metro will be increasing bus service on select routes, funded by the voter-approved 2020 Seattle Transit Measure.

The West Seattle Bridge is currently on course to open in 2022, as predicted. The bridge closed in March 2020 due to the number and growth of cracks located. The final phase of construction is slated to begin later this year.

Information about "Flip Your Trip West Seattle" is available in nine languages. People who do not have smartphones can choose to receive an ORCA card and program updates through community organizations, instead of using the Transit GO Ticket mobile app.