No Kings demonstrations, construction and big events: Metro works to keep people moving during travel disruptions

Metro’s No. 1 job is to move people safely and reliably, something our bus drivers do expertly all day long, all year long.

And when construction projects close streets, or demonstrations or marches stop traffic, or traffic bogs temporarily jumps due to big concerts and events, we know you rely on us to keep you moving no matter what the hurdle.

It’s a level of trust we don’t take lightly, and a commitment we take seriously.

No Kings demonstrations planned March 28 in Seattle, around the region

We’re advising riders that this Saturday, in downtown Seattle and across King County, the No Kings demonstrations could temporarily affect or delay transit service. Bus routes will be rerouted in Kirkland, West Seattle, and likely in downtown Seattle by planned marches and demonstrations.

Tools available for riders to stay informed

The good news is that we have tools to keep riders informed. Tens of thousands of riders subscribe to receive email or text messages for updates about their favorite bus routes. Riders also can refer to our online Service Advisories web page, which shows which routes are affected by construction, expected demonstrations, or roadway conditions due to bad weather.

We have systems that track and estimate bus arrival times, and that information is shared with popular third-party apps. You can use Text for Departures to text your stop number to 62550 to get next departure times.

However, the systems that try to predict when a bus will depart may not work well when traffic is at a standstill or if a bus must switch to another nearby street to avoid a street closure. Those predictions immediately become inaccurate, which is why having transit alerts emailed or texted can help keep riders informed to the best of our ability. Those alerts tell riders which stops are closing and where riders should go to board instead.

Ongoing construction, future downtown demonstrations

This weekend’s large-scale demonstrations are just one example of how travel can be impacted. With warmer weather comes construction season, meaning street closures that can affect your travel plans. Metro closely coordinates with cities and builders to steer around closed streets, whether it is for several hours or several months.

Recently we’ve also seen an uptick in demonstrations and marches that can affect traffic and travel in downtown Seattle and around the region. Many marches and demonstrations are coordinated and planned, meaning Metro can make advance plans to reroute buses around closed streets.

Other times, streets can be unexpectedly blocked by unplanned demonstrators for several hours. This has happened several times on Second Avenue in downtown Seattle outside of the Federal Building, a location that regularly draws demonstrations. When Second Avenue is blocked, it can affect service on a dozen or more bus routes, including the RapidRide G Line, for a few hours. Traffic can temporarily be at a standstill, so buses will either adapt their routes when possible or have to wait until a demonstration concludes and people move to the sidewalks.

When travel disruptions affect bus service, our goal is to notify riders as soon as possible when their bus is affected by the unexpected. Together, bus drivers, field supervisors and partner agencies work to inform Metro’s customer communications team to identify and communicate transit impacts from closed streets.

Feedback? Yes, please!

We continue to work to refine and improve our communications tools to help riders. If you have feedback, we’d love to hear it. Please reach out to Metro’s customer service team online or by phone, 206-553-3000, Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., excluding holidays.