Last week (Feb. 6-10), we met with the Seattle Housing Authority’s Resident Action Council, the Mount Baker Community Council, the Madrona Community Council, the Ballard District Council, the Central Area District Council, and the commute trip reduction staff members of employers in the Seattle area. We also met with residents of senior housing developments in the Greenlake and First Hill neighborhoods, and spoke to people on the Water Taxi and at the White Center Food Bank. Overall, we connected with more than 400 people.
Here’s a brief summary of the main themes we heard:
Yes, please:
- Keeping all-day service from Leschi to downtown Seattle (revised Route 27)
- Keeping express service on 15th Ave NW (revised Route 15X)
- A new direct connection between Rainier Valley and West Seattle Junction (New Route 50)
- More frequent service from upper Queen Anne to Seattle Pacific University (revised routes 3 and 13)
- A more direct and reliable route to the Northgate Transit Center (revised Route 16)
- A more direct connection between Ballard and Fremont (revised Route 18)
- A new direct connection between the west side of Queen Anne and the Queen Anne business district (revised Route 1)
- More buses serving Westwood Village in West Seattle (revised routes 60 and 120)
No, thanks:
- Route 2 (south part) riders would lose their direct connection to the Seattle Center and Queen Anne and would have to transfer in downtown Seattle at Third Avenue and Madison Street (revised Route 2 (south part).
- Some Route 2 (south part) riders would have to walk farther to Madison Street to reach service (Revised Route 2 (south part).
- Center Park residents and Lighthouse for the Blind clients would lose front-door bus service. They’d have to transfer to get to First Hill hospitals and walk farther, crossing busy streets like Martin Luther King Jr. Way to head north or Rainier Avenue S to head south (revised Route 4 (south part).
- Some Greenlake residents would lose direct access to shopping and health care services in the Northgate neighborhood.
- Route 14 (south part) riders would have to walk farther to reach service on Rainier Avenue S or McClellan Street.
- Young people from Yesler Terrace take the Route 27 to get to Garfield Community Center. They would have to walk to E Jefferson Street to take the Route 3 if the Route 27 stops at 12th Avenue (revised routes 3 and 27).
Suggestions:
- Metro could work with the City of Seattle to make transit corridor improvements along Spring Street.
- Improve the transfer point at North Seattle Community College.
- Metro could operate peak commuter service to Mount Baker.
What’s next?
You can continue this conversation with fellow community members:
- In person, by attending an upcoming open house, presentation, or info table. Check our “Have a Say” calendar for a schedule.
- Online, by commenting on this post with anything we missed.
Don’t forget to make your opinions about these proposed changes known to Metro and the King County Council by completing our online survey.
I have attended 3 community meetings but still can’t get anyone to tell me why there is no solution to eliminating route 28 local service all the way to Broadview at 143rd. St and Linden Ave. Metro says they consider “social equity” as a criteria when reviewing routes but they are willing to take away the only bus that goes to the Tri Court apartments making it necessary for the residents, as well as many other people in the neighborhood, many of whom have mobility or other problems, to walk several blocks to Greenwood Ave. They also say they want to “right size” the bus to the route but won’t consider a smaller bus. The only service that will be provided to the area of Broadview north of NW103rd. St. on 3rd. Avenue N.W. is the 28X and only during peak hours. There will be no other service on off-peak hours, during the day, at night and weekends or holidays. There are no sidewalks out here so folks with or without disabilities will have to walk up often steep hills, often in the dark, often in the rain with the cars. The ridership numbers may not be large but there are people out here who have relied and continue to rely on Metro as their only transportation option. There has to be some middle ground that will meet the needs of the people and still give Metro lots of $$$ to spend on Rapid Ride. Remember Metro: It’s the system’s job to serve the people who pay for it and not the job of the people to serve the system. On the 28 bus schedule it tells how the all day/night service out here is paid for with Transit Now funds. We’re still getting those funds but now Metro wants to only use them for Rapid Ride. Everyone pays for transit and everyone should get it. Having people walk an extra 6+ blocks and then having to transfer or walk 6+ more blocks to get to the bus they need is bad planning. Metro is capable of much better and better start doing it.
I didn’t attend the Feb. 6-10 meeting but would like to express my dissatisfaction with the changes to the #33 route. Will there be an additional public forum?