Solid Ground Downtown Circulator

The Solid Ground Downtown Circulator ("the Circulator"), is a free, fixed-route shuttle bus that connects riders to various health and human service providers in downtown Seattle. This program is fully funded by the Seattle Transit Measure.

Background & History

The Circulator began in 2012 when Seattle’s Downtown Ride Free Area ended. The Circulator was created to reduce the impact of ending the ride free zone for low- and no-income individuals and individuals with disabilities who need to access health and human service providers in and around downtown Seattle.

Who Can Ride the Circulator?

The Downtown Circulator is a free, ADA accessible service for everyone. The Circulator is available for any person who will benefit from accessible, no-cost, public transportation. There are no eligibility requirements, and you do not need a ticket to ride.

Where and When Does the Downtown Circulator Go?

The Circulator travels in a 30-minute loop with 7 stops. It travels on 1st Ave through Pioneer Square, up through the Denny Triangle, and over to First Hill passing by Seattle’s major hospitals.

The Circulator runs from 7am to 4pm, Monday to Friday. In 2025, we will be adding technology to track when the shuttle is arriving at each stop. We look forward to sharing that information when we launch the new service!

Downtown Circulator Path Map Circulator route map

The Circulator stops near many health and human service providers. Below is a list showing where it stops, and what services are close to each stop.

Circulator Stop Location	Nearby Health and Human Service Providers (and distance from Circulator Stop)
9^th and Alder	Asian Counseling and Referral Services Food Bank Route I (.5 mi) Asian Counseling and Referral Services Route II (.7 mi) Harborview Hall (.1mi) Harborview Medical Center (300ft) Operation Nightwatch (.5 mi) Outdoor Meal Site (.6 mi)
4^th and Yesler	Asian Counseling & Referral Service Food Bank Route I (.6 mi) Bread of Life Mission (.4 mi) Chief Seattle Club (.2 mi) Compass Housing Alliance Client Services Office Route I (.4 mi) DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) Drop-In Center (.2 mi) DESC Overnight Shelter (.2 mi) Operation Nightwatch (.8 mi) Outdoor Meal Site (.4 mi) Salvation Army Jefferson Day Center (331 ft) Seattle Public Library (.4 mi) Social Security Administration (.4 mi) Union Gospel Mission (.1 mi) UW Medicine Pioneer Square Clinic (.1 mi)
1^st and Marion	Bread of Life Mission (.3 mi) Chief Seattle Club (.3 mi) Compass Housing Alliance Client Service Office (.3 mi) DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) (.3 mi) Outdoor Meal Site (.4 mi) Pike Market Food Bank (.5 mi) Seattle Public Library / WorkSource (.3 mi) Social Security Administration (.1 mi) Union Gospel Mission (.4 mi) UW Medicine Pioneer Square Clinic (.4 mi)
1^st and Pine	Angeline’s Day Center (.3 mi) Department of Social and Health Services (.3 mi) Downtown Public Health Center (.4 mi) NeighborCare Health at Pike Place (.1 mi) Seattle Public Library / Work Source (.6 mi) Pike Place Market (436 ft) Uplift Northwest (.6 mi) Women’s Wellness Center (.1 mi) Pike Market Food Bank (.2 mi) Work Source (.3 mi) YWCA Opportunity Place (.3 mi)
1^st and Bell	Angeline’s Day Center (.3 mi) Community Psychiatric Clinic DSHS Belltown CSO (.3 mi) Department of Social and Health Services (.2 mi) DESC Wall Street Office (.3 mi) Downtown Public Health Center (.3 mi) NeighborCare Health at Pike Place (.3 mi) Pike Market Food Bank (.5 mi) Uplift Northwest (.3 mi) Work Source (.3 mi) Women’s Wellness Center (.4 mi) YWCA Opportunity Place (.3 mi)
9^th and Virginia	Angeline’s Day Center (.5 mi) Community Psychiatric Clinic DSHS Belltown CSO (.6 mi) Department of Social and Health Services (.5 mi) Downtown Public Health Center (.5 mi) FareStart (.1 mi) Mary’s Place Women’s Day Center (.1 mi) Recovery Café (.1 mi) Salvation Army Food Bank (.5 mi) Urban Rest Stop Care (262 ft) YouthCare Orion Center (.3 mi) WorkSource (.4 mi) YWCA Opportunity place (.5 mi)
Boren and Seneca	Virginia Mason Medical Center (486 ft) Salvation Army Food Bank (.3 mi)

How do I Ride the Circulator?

Each stop will have a green sign indicating that the Circulator stops at that location. The bus will stop at every Circulator stop and will pull over if you are waiting near the sign. If you need assistance boarding the Circulator bus, please tell your bus driver and they will assist you in safely boarding the Circulator bus.

The Circulator will stop at all of the 7 designated stops along the route. You do not need to let the bus driver know where you would like to exit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Circulator cost?
The Circulator is free. You will not be asked for payment or proof of payment to ride.
Who can ride the Circulator?
Anyone! The Circulator is available for any person who will benefit from accessible, no-cost, public transportation.
How can I check when the next circulator bus will arrive?
Riders can text “inform” to (206) 753-4801 to receive the Circulator schedule, but we are not yet able to provide real-time updates. The Circulator makes a complete loop every 30 minutes.
Can I bring my service animal onto the Circulator Bus?
Yes, service animals are welcome on the Circulator Bus.
Can I ride the Circulator if I use a wheelchair?
Yes, the Circulator is ADA accessible and able to accommodate all types of mobility assistance devices.
How can I access the Circulator bus via public transit?
Four (4) of the 7 Circulator stops are also shared by King County Metro and all stops are within two blocks of an existing public transit route. Please reference the map above to see which transit providers and routes also stop at a Circulator stop.
What is Solid Ground and what do they do?
Solid Ground works to end poverty and undo racism and other oppression that are root causes of poverty. SDOT partners with Solid Ground in providing the Circulator Bus service. Please visit the Solid Ground webpage to learn more.

Flyers and Documents

Downtown Circulator Flyer (English)

Downtown Circulator Flyer (Amharic - አማርኛ)

Downtown Circulator Flyer (Arabic - اَلْعَرَبِيَّةُ)

Downtown Circulator Flyer (Traditional Chinese - 繁体中文)

Downtown Circulator Flyer (Somali - Af-Soomaali)

Downtown Circulator Flyer (Spanish - español)

Downtown Circulator Flyer (Tagalog)

Downtown Circulator Flyer (Vietnamese - tiếng Việt)