Last Thursday (Nov. 17), Congress announced $37.5 million in federal funding for the two RapidRide lines that are scheduled to launch in 2013. The appropriation now moves on to President Obama for his signature.
The funds are part of a federal Bus and Bus Facilities grant program, and represent full funding of Metro’s request. King County will share some of the funding with partner cities to help support the street improvements and transit elements inside their jurisdictions that will make these RapidRide lines successful. Funding partners for the E and F lines include Shoreline, Seattle, and Tukwila.
Here’s a news release from the office of King County Executive Dow Constantine.
Metro’s website has maps and info on the E and F lines:
Why is Metro replacing the route 140 rather than the 101,102,106 routes?
The 140 was chosen for a number of reasons. It’s a major east/west cross-valley route that operates entirely in south King County. It’s been experiencing steady growth. It links to transit facilities where riders can transfer to other bus routes, Link light rail, and Sounder train service. These facilities include the Burien Transit Center, the Link Tukwila International Boulevard Station, the Tukwila Transit Center (to be built next to Southcenter Mall), the Tukwila Sounder Station, and the Renton Transit Center.
Routes 101, 102, and 106 are also busy routes with growing ridership, and Metro plans to provide additional service on these routes when resources become available.
Will the Rapid Ride Line F get riders between Renton and Downtown Seattle via Line F and Light Rail any quicker than the Route 101?
It doesn’t look that way. The RapidRide F Line will offer faster and more frequent service between Renton and the Link Tukwila Station, but the total travel time between Renton and downtown Seattle via the F Line and Link would still be longer than taking Route 101.
In the morning, Route 101 currently takes about 45 minutes to travel from the Renton Transit Center to University Street Station in downtown Seattle. A corresponding trip via the F Line and Link would take about an hour.
Any ballpark on when RapidRide C starts operation? The commute from West Seattle is getting more horrific (not an overstatement) every day.
The C Line is scheduled to start operation with our fall service change on Sept. 29.