King County employees are continuing to deliver essential services, but public walk-in access to many county buildings is discontinued until further notice due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The affected facilities are:
- King County Administration Building, 500 Fourth Ave., Seattle
King County Sheriff’s Office registry on second floor will remain open. Access is through doors on the north (James Street) side of the building. - Chinook Building, 401 Fifth Ave., Seattle
- King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson St., Seattle
- King County Elections Building, 919 SW Grady Way, Renton
- Roads Maintenance, Roads Map and Records Center, 155 Monroe Ave. NE, Renton
Many walk-in public services had already been halted to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Instead of in-person visits, residents are urged to use kingcounty.gov/services to access online service options. Many agencies are also providing customer service via phone, email, or regular mail.
Secure dropboxes will be available outside select buildings so that residents can deposit documents or payments as needed. These items will be collected and processed by county staff as normal.
Changes to King County Metro in-person customer service
Metro’s in-person customer service locations will also be closed to the public. Locations include the Pass Sales and Lost and Found offices, both located at 201 S. Jackson St. in downtown Seattle, the Vanpool Distribution Center at 18655 NE Union Hill Rd. in Redmond, and the Access Transportation Evaluation Center at Harborview Medical Center. Customers can continue to call Metro or use online resources to fulfill most requests.
- Customers seeking services at the Pass Sales Office can still purchase or refill ORCA cards via the mail, at many grocery stores and ticket vending machines in the area, by phone at 888-988-6722, or online. ORCA LIFT cards can be renewed online and are available in person at select locations across the region.
- Customers seeking lost items can call Metro Customer Service at 206-553-3000 between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Weekday appointments are available to assist customers in locating critical items or other items that include identification by name. During this time, Metro’s Lost and Found Office will retain most items for up to 30 days instead of the current 14 days. Bicycles will continue to be held for 10 days due to limited storage capacity.
- The Vanpool Distribution Center will not provide vans to new customers during this time. However, it will continue to accept returned vehicles through a streamlined, no-contact return process. County van pool customers with questions or concerns can call 206-625-4500. Van groups that are not operating are asked to park the van in a safe and secure spot, preferably in a driver’s garage or driveway. If unable to do so, please contact Metro for assistance.
- Access Transportation will continue to certify Access customers based on a limited application process using phone and online tools. Prospective riders with questions can call 206-205-5000 (TTY Relay: 711) and ask to speak with the Access Transportation Certification office or visit Access online for additional information.
For a complete list of King County services and events that are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, visit kingcounty.gov/ServiceChanges. For the most up-to-date information on the outbreak, see kingcounty.gov/COVID.