Link Connections – Metro to change Route 10, thanks for your feedback

Two weeks ago we shared with you that Metro won’t be able to change routes 8 and 11 to operate on shared pathway between 23^rd Avenue East and Bellevue Avenue when the Capitol Hill Link light rail station opens in 2016. We asked for your feedback about a potential change to Route 10 that would move the route to serve East John Street, Capitol Hill Station and Olive Way. This routing of the 10 would follow the same path in Capitol Hill that Route 43 uses west of 15^th Avenue East. Read the full blog post.

1,269 of you responded to our online survey. With your feedback and our analysis, we have decided to change Route 10.

Here’s what you told us:

• A two-thirds majority of respondents support or can accept this change. Your comments in support of the change reflect our own rationale for making it.
• For those of you who commented to us that you don’t like the change, but could live with it, you told us that moving Route 10 is not what you desire as an outcome of this restructure, but it will help address ridership needs in Capitol Hill and more equitably distribute bus resources on the corridors that need it most.
• Those opposed to this change are concerned about capacity on Route 11 as the only route service Pike/Pine between Broadway and 15^th You are also concerned about a loss of inter-local connections. We heard from people who live, work, shop, go to school, and play who use Route 10 to travel between the Pike/Pine corridor and the 15^th Avenue corridor. Whether you are students who live along 15^th going to the Northwest School or residents on Pike/Pine headed to bars and Volunteer Park on 15^th, these trips become less convenient if we make this change.

Read a summary of the feedback we received on Route 10.

Despite concerns, we think this change would better meet ridership demand along East John Street and in the Summit neighborhood, where there are nearly 1,000 bus boardings every day (940 people getting on and 1,300 getting off buses) on current Route 43. The Summit neighborhood and Olive corridor are the densest parts of Capitol Hill. Residents in this part of Capitol Hill face a steep climb to the light rail station. While the Route 43 will continue to operate in the peak periods, making this change avoids a significant net reduction of service at other times of day.

While this change would remove bus service along 15th Avenue East between East Madison Street and East John Street, a large majority of the average daily ridership along this part of Route 10 are at the stops closest to 15th Avenue East and East John Street and 15th Avenue East and East Pine Street or East Madison Street. These stops would still be served by routes 8, 10, 11, and 12. For those getting on and off Route 10 in the middle of this stretch (approximately 80 per day), they are no more than 4 blocks on a flat stretch of 15th to the nearest service.

Moving Route 10 will result in more bus service connecting Capitol Hill to the regional light rail system – including an easy bus connection from Capitol Hill Station to Group Health, the 15th Avenue retail core, and Volunteer Park.

To address concerns with bus capacity on the Route 11 in the Madison and Pine Street corridor we are planning to use 60-foot-long articulated coaches when ridership is at its highest. We will also actively monitor ridership after all changes are implemented and make adjustments as needed.

We’re in the process of updating our project website to reflect this decision. In the meantime, sign up for our project email list to be informed about when our website is up-to-date. Please contact DeAnna Martin at deanna.martin@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-3835 if you would like help figuring out how to get where you need to go after this change is made.