Local and federal officials cut the ribbon last week but you’ll have a few more days to wait for your first ride on the RapidRide G line.

Thursday’s ceremony featuring Federal Transit Administration Administrator Veronica Vanterpool and local officials in the First African Methodist Episcopal Church’s one-acre surface parking lot along E Madison was a photo op.

September 14th brings the real action as Metro buses roll out on the new $139 million route for the first time. The new five-door, 60-foot-long buses can load from both curbside and center island stations on the route.

“The RapidRide network has become a critical economic and personal asset for millions of riders throughout the Puget Sound region,” acting FTA administrator Veronica Vanterpool said at the ceremony. “Adding this service to Madison Street will help connect families to each other, patients to healthcare, students to education, and get everyone where they need to go faster, safer, and more frequently.”

It is a big few weeks for public transit around Seattle. The $3.1 billion light rail extension to Lynnwood is now open making public transit travel to the Snohomish County city of 43,000 a shorter ride from Capitol Hill than Ballard.

In addition to transforming the corridor’s transit, biking, walking, and driving safety elements — and lots and lots of paint — RapidRide G work included millions of dollars of attached utility and infrastructure work by the city that has created years of major challenges for businesses and residents living along Madison.

The $144.3 million RapidRide G Line project was funded through a combination of $80.5 million in federal grants, with additional contributions coming from Sound Transit ($35.8 million), the Levy to Move Seattle ($19.7 million), King County Metro ($3.5 million), WSDOT grants ($2.5 million), and other City of Seattle transportation sources ($2.3 million). The federal grants included $59.9 million from the Federal Transit Administration’s Small Starts program and $10.9 million from President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

The 2.50-mile, 10-station RapidRide G line will operate 23 hours a day, from 5:00 AM to 4:00 AM between 1st Ave downtown and MLK Jr Way in Madison Valley with stops across First Hill and Capitol Hill along the way, with a bus every six minutes between 6 AM and 7 PM Monday through Saturday.

Changes, cuts, and a few boosts in service to dozens of existing Metro bus lines are being made as RapidRide G comes online. Check your route’s schedule before heading out.

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