Mike Ruby writes:
Metro is going through another planning exercise to revise bus service to accommodate the new Link Light Rail stop at Husky Stadium opening in 2016. You can participate by going to the website at http://metro.kingcounty.gov/
Alternative 2 is, at least for Wallingford, essentially no change to the existing route structure. Alternative 1 offers some significant changes but, surprisingly, does not offer up some of the changes they proposed last time they looked at a South Campus light rail station and does not envision the thorough-going integration of buses and light rail they worked up then.
To orient you, here is the current route map zoomed in to Wallingford. The new link light rail station will be located at Husky Stadium, at the bottom right corner of the map:
Here is a summary of what they are proposing in Alternative 1:
- Route 44 – no changes – so that would be no changes in either alternative – but no increase in frequency as we expected from the recent tax levy.
- Route 26 – merge 26X with 26 by changing the routing of the 26 to that of the 26X, going down Aurora instead of Dexter to downtown. It appears it would no longer go all the way to the King Street Train Station and would not continue south on 4th Ave S as the 131. It would remain an all day service with 30 minute gaps (“headways’) between buses mid-day and more frequent service at rush hour, just as it is now. On the north end of the route it would pick up the routing of the 16 to Northgate but with some slight changes to make it more reliable by taking it off Northgate Way. This makes for a longer trip for North Seattle Community College students coming from downtown.
- Routes 31/32 – No change in the hours or frequency but instead of going down Stoneway they would go south on Wallingford to replace the 26 route that is being shifted over to Bridgeway and Aurora. It is not relocated closer to the light rail station but remains on its current route through the UW.
- Route 16 – On the north end the Meridian is rerouted all the way across 65th over to Magnuson Park and the NOAA installation. South of 45th it takes over the current 26 route down Stoneway, through Fremont and down Dexter to the 16’s current path through downtown to 1st Ave and loop around Pioneer Square. Peak hour headways would change to 10 minutes and midday to 15 minutes. Weekend service would also be 15 minute headways.
Tell Metro what you think about their proposals by answering the survey on their website or by attending the community meeting at the University Heights Community Center on March 26 at 6 pm.
Consider that the south end of Wallingford is looking at, at least, 1000 units coming in big residential developments. Most of those units aren’t completed yet, though, so the residents can’t take the survey. Development standards take into account access to transit, but does transit take the development into account?
It looks to me like the best route from the south to the light rail station is 31/32? You’d have to climb up and down the SE campus stairs, but that’s a shorter walk than better part of a mile up to the 44, if you can even squeeze on to the 44 during commute times.
I love most things about Alternative 1, but the 2 things I’m looking forward to are a) taking the 44 and transferring to the Link to go to Capitol Hill (today it takes an hour), and b) taking the 16 to Fremont (today, there’s no bus from Central Wallingford to Central Fremont, which I find ridiculous).
As I understanding things, currently the 26X does not run on the weekends. With Alternative 1’s change of the 26 to the 26X, does anyone know if there would be weekend service?
Hi Justin-
Yes – it would run all week.
Here’s a link to the info for the new 26X at the Metro site:
http://metro.kingcounty.gov/programs-projects/link-connections/pdf/026x-info-03-15.pdf
Re: the 44 frequency, Metro has said that these maps do not include the Prop 1 funding. That is, the increased 44 frequency isn’t due to this restructure but for other reasons which aren’t currently shown. I think that’s because the Prop 1 funding is a temporary source vs. the “permanent” restructure that’s being considered with these alternatives.
Thanks Dennis! The routes I use all seem to be improved in Alt 1.
Kyle; I think, also they’re doing this to avoid “supplanting” Seattle service, and inadvertently spending our extra $ outside of Seattle.
Designing the system without the Prop 1 money, then using the money to beef up the frequency or adding late-night service is a sound way of accomplishing this, although it might not result in the same solution as if you’d designed this with the full funding as the target.
I kinda wish we could use some of the money for enhancements to streets to speed up the buses without adding service-hours (special bus signals, bus-lanes, etc.), but I don’t think that’s how Prop 1 was written.
Eric, thanks very much for posting this, and summarizing the changes; much appreciated!
Both plans have their own distinct appeal (to me); Ambarish makes a good point about having a route that would go from central Wallingford to central Fremont — that would be nice.
Decisions, decisions!
@Jeff,
Prop 1 indeed can only fund transit operating costs. Our best hope for capital improvements is a renewal of Bridging the Gap, which fortunately Mayor Murray is working on getting a coalition around now.
Molly Moon was mentioned above by someone. I’d like to ask again. How did they get permission from the city to take up two valuable parking spaces???? I think she should remove that thing. Not gonna happen, I know. Does this open he door for the N45th corridor to be one big “parklet???” Does anyone know the inside scoop on this?
Regarding the proposals, I like #1. I think Ambarish had great thoughts about getting to Capitol and Fremont, this needs improvement. Especially Capitol Hill. It really does take about an hour to get there if you take two buses.
@iowagirl,
The permission came from SDOT through their parklet program:
http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/parklets.htm
The parklet was funded entirely by Molly Moon, including yearly permit fees to SDOT. That’s more than can be said for the rest of the parking lanes on 45th, where the “free” spots are subsidized by all of us, regardless of whether we can benefit from them.
These changes totally escaped me in March, but thankfully, Metro is still accepting comments until 5/31. Unlike some of you, I think the proposed changes for Wallingford are horrible. Here are the comments I sent to [email protected] .
I’m writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed changes to the routes that currently serve Wallingford.
First, I don’t understand why these changes are being proposed for 2016, when only the Husky Stadium Link station will be open. As far as I can tell, the U District, Roosevelt and Northgate stations will not be opening until 2021. Why is it necessary to change routes that do not operate near Husky Stadium now?
Those of us in “west Wallingford” (Meridian Ave N. to Stone Way N.) currently have frequent, direct access to Green Lake, North Seattle College and Northgate TC. The proposed routing for the revised Rte. 26/26X will require people from west Wallingford to travel the 8-15 blocks to Latona Ave NE to catch the Rte.26/26X. Seniors and people with mobility issues would likely have to ride the Rte. 44 to transfer to the Rte. 26/26X. Whether walking or travelling by bus, this would add a significant amount of travel time, especially given the notorious schedule variability of the Rte. 44. The proposed jog over to N. 65th St. (and I-5, per the map, but more likely to the Link station?), and then back to the Green Lake routing would also increase travel time.
With the proposed routing on the north end of the revised Rte. 16, I could conceivably take my dog to the off-leash park at Magnuson, but probably would drive. I find it hard to believe that there would be many riders on NE 65th St. east of Roosevelt Way, or perhaps the U District.
Those of us on the current Rte. 16 also have frequent, direct service to downtown Seattle. The proposed revision, via N. 34th St., Fremont Ave. N. and Dexter Ave N. will most likely add a significant amount of travel time. I don’t see that the increased headways will be of any benefit in either direction.
While the proposed Rte 26/26X will take over the more direct routing of the current Rte. 16 to downtown, it operates about half as often. Riding the revised route from Wallingford to downtown will also require the walk or bus transfer to Latona Ave NE, or a walk to N. 40th St. and Stone Way N. There is no bus service to that stop from “west Wallingford”, so people with mobility limitations will only have the option of riding to Latona Ave NE to do a bus transfer.
The only other option for travel to downtown Seattle is Rapid Ride at N. 46th St. and Aurora Ave. N. – a 10-block walk from Meridian Ave. N., and a significant uphill grade to the bus zone regardless of distance. Again, a significant barrier for seniors and people with disabilities.
It seems that the proposed routing revisions are likely to increase costs for Access Transportation, for people who are no longer able to reach a nearby bus stop.
As currently scheduled, the Rte. 26 is clearly inefficient. It is not uncommon to see not one, but two, buses laying over at the northern terminal near Green Lake Way and Ravenna Blvd. Please explain why the Rte. 26 wouldn’t be the one you would choose to operate across NE 65th St. to the Link Station and beyond. In case some of us wanted to take our dogs to the off-leash park . . .