Getting around Mountlake Terrace with Community Transit
Community Transit is here to get you where you want to go. We are proud to be a part of the Mountlake Terrace community — we live here, ride here, and drive here. Wherever you need to go in Mountlake Terrace, feel good about how you get there.
About Mountlake Terrace
Mountlake Terrace lies on the southern border of the county, adjacent to Shoreline and Lynnwood, and is 13 miles north of Seattle. The city had a population of 21,315 people counted in the 2020 census.
Some of its most popular destinations include its various neighborhoods — Town Center, Cedar Terrace, Lake Ballinger, Gateway, Cascade View, and Melody Hill.
Major employers in the city include health insurance firm Premera Blue Cross, Umpqua Bank, and the many retailers throughout the city.
People traveling to and from the area can take bus routes provided by both Community Transit and Sound Transit. Mountlake Terrace Transit Center is a major hub for many of these regional transit options. The transit center is also served by a King County Metro route that connects Mountlake Terrace to Shoreline and Northgate Mall in Seattle. Other options include DART paratransit service and Vanpool. Many of its 18 public parks also offer nearby options for pedestrians and bikers, including Ballinger Park which is adjacent to the Interurban Trail. The Interurban Trail is an inter-city hiking and cycling trail developed in the late 1990s that travels between Seattle and Everett on the former interurban railway route.
Ride our connections to light rail
Updated bus service brings you connections to light rail stations in Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, and Shoreline.
Popular Destinations
Swift Blue Line Station at Hwy 99 and 196th St Now Open
A new Swift Blue Line station on northbound Hwy 99 at 196th Street SW in Lynnwood is now open! This new Community Transit station provides easy access to Lynnwood Crossroads, James Village, and other nearby businesses for Swift Blue Line riders traveling to and from the north. It will also create easy connections between the Swift Blue Line and future Swift Orange Line.
The new station features a new design to make your trip safer and easier. This is the first full Swift station update since the launch of Swift service in 2009. At the new station, you will experience:
Better protection from bad weather to keep you warm and dry
- New L-shaped screens with better protection from wind.
- New roof design for better protection from rain.
- New seats designed for comfort that are drier in wet weather, warmer in cold weather, cooler in hot weather.
Increased security measures to make you feel safer while you wait for the bus
- More lighting to make it easier to see at night.
- Open L-shaped screens makes it easier for you to be aware of your surroundings and the for bus driver to see you.
Better signage to make travel easier for everyone
- All new backlit station signage so it’s easier to see at night with more information so customers know that they’re in the right spot.
- New digital kiosk that will show alerts and other real-time information in addition to the Swift map.
- New full-color “next bus” real-time signage with audible announcements that state when the next bus is coming.
Easier payment options for ORCA and Swift tickets
- Ticket machines on both sides of the station.
- ORCA card readers that are easier to see so you can tap before you board the bus.
The Swift Orange Line stations will use this same design when they open in 2024. The Orange Line will run between McCollum Park Park & Ride and Edmonds College. It will connect to the Swift Green Line in Mill Creek and the Swift Blue Line at this new northbound station and the existing southbound station on Hwy 99.
We will also be extending the Swift Green and Blue Lines, as well as planning for the Swift Gold line, in the coming years. Sign up for the Swift Network News to stay up to date on our Swift network expansion.
