Tag Archives: transit

Madison RapidRide G construction still has a year to go — Madison Valley businesses say they might not make it

Posted on by
38

Work on the route through downtown is pretty much complete (Image: Seattle Department of Transportation)

By CHS’s calculations, construction along the Madison corridor to create the new RapidRide G bus line has another year to go. But a merchant group representing businesses along the route says patience with the construction mess, utility shutdowns, and transit impacts has run out.

“The RapidRide G – Madison St project now sits at 75% completion!,” the Seattle Department of Transportation announced in its latest construction update this week on the 2.4-mile route promising six-minute service during most hours of the day between 1st Ave downtown and MLK Jr Way in Madison Valley with stops across First Hill and Capitol Hill along the way.

But the Madison Valley Merchants Association isn’t celebrating. The group is calling on the city and Mayor Bruce Harrell to implement a small business council to address “the city’s lack of communication and planning regarding the Madison BRT project,” Marceil Van Camp, board member and owner of Kamp Social House, tells CHS.

The association cites “a substantial loss of 20% of the businesses along the Madison Avenue corridor, spanning from 24th Avenue East to 32nd Avenue East” and says  “an additional loss of 10% is anticipated by the conclusion of 2023” in a letter documenting its complaints. “This persistent decline is unsustainable for the well-being of the Madison Valley community, especially when weighed against the benefits derived from the Madison Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) – RapidRide G Line project,” it reads.

Van Camp says other areas along Madison have also met with the Greater Seattle Business Association about the challenges.

The full letter can be found at the end of this report.

While the letter also cites some familiar, sometimes shortsighted concerns around things like the loss of street parking, there are plenty of more substantial issues raised in the letter including the haphazard re-routes and wholesale loss of transit service by existing key routes in the area. In its latest construction update, SDOT says the detour of Route 8 away from Madison Valley will last for months into 2024.

Unfortunately, the pains for those living along the route of the Madison project are not new. Continue reading →

Didn’t tap at Capitol Hill Station? Sound Transit Fare Ambassadors to start (friendly) crack down on nonpayment

Posted on by
30

(Image: Sound Transit)

Sound Transit Fare Ambassadors aren’t messing around anymore.

Starting November 15th, riders at Capitol Hill Station and the light rail system and other Sound Transit services will need to tap in and tap out — but the agency is taking a lenient approach to the new fare enforcement policy.

Riders who don’t pay will be allowed two warnings in a 12-month period. After that, the gloves come off.

“On the third and fourth interactions without proof of payment, passengers will be issued violations that can be resolved with Sound Transit through non-monetary options such as an online class or engagement activity, or with a $50 fine for the third violation, and a $75 fine for the fourth,” Sound Transit warns.

“Repeat non-payment… will result in a civil infraction, which may be referred to the district court,” Sound Transit says.

The agency depends on fares for a big chunk — around 7% — of its operating budget. Unlike some major metro transit systems around the world, Sound Transit has designed its stations without payment gates or turnstiles.

Continue reading →

RapidRide on Broadway: How would you prioritize these 18 Capitol HIll and Central District street and transportation projects for the next 20 years?

Posted on by
10

 

PLEASE HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE!
Subscribe to CHS to help us pay writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for as little as $5 a month.

 

 
The Seattle Department of Transportation is collecting public feedback on a roster of dozens of street, sidewalk, and mobility projects around the city as planners try to round out the city’s next 20-year transportation plan.

Included in the mix are 18 projects on and around Capitol Hill and the Central District including a few in vital connecting neighborhoods like downtown Seattle.

CHS reported here on the August publication of the draft Seattle Transportation Plan including a framework that would create more safe and efficient protected areas for bikers along arteries, a proliferation of transit-only lanes, and new light rail lines criss-crossing Capitol Hill and the Central District along 23rd Ave and Denny Way.

Now SDOT has further fleshed-out some of the concepts in the proposed plan as it seeks more feedback. The priorities will also likely shape the city’s next transportation levy as the current levy expires next year. You have until November 20th to add your priorities and thoughts.

“After a multi-year community visioning and planning process, we have identified a list of candidate transportation projects and potential program activities for the public to review and provide feedback,” SDOT writes. “These proposed projects and programs support the STP’s 20-year vision for Seattle’s transportation network.”

SDOT says the projects were shaped by the city’s growth strategies and equity priorities.

The Central Seattle roster covers Capitol Hill, the Central District, and nearby neighborhoods like Montlake, Madison Valley, and First Hill. Continue reading →

Fix the L8! Campaign underway to sway City Hall to do more to ease the way for one of Seattle’s most notoriously late bus routes

Posted on by
13

(Image: Fix the L8!)

(Image: Fix the L8!)

A campaign to fix a key bus line connecting the Seattle Center, Lower Queen Anne, South Lake Union, the Central District, and beyond via Capitol Hill is raising awareness for its mission to improve the average on-time performance of the Route 8 bus. The campaign is focused specifically on the stretch of road spanning from 1st Ave to Fairview for the trip known as “Route L8” to many riders,

Nicholas Sattele, a volunteer with Central Seattle Greenways who is heading up the Fix the L8 campaign, pointed out that Denny Way is getting repaved next year without plans to add a bike or bus lane.

“Seattle pays higher transit taxes and in exchange, we get money to use for transit improvements,” Sattele said. “Route 8 is notably absent from that list.” Continue reading →

Work to complete one-way Pike and Pine and new bike lanes crossing onto Capitol Hill

Posted on by
6

(Image: Office of the Waterfront)

The work to install new bike lane protections and rework Pike and Pine in downtown and on Capitol Hill below Bellevue into one-way streets has crossed I-5. The city has announced crews will begin the major changes work beginning soon to permanently remove the westbound lane on Pike between Bellevue Hubbell.

The Seattle Department of Transportation says the work should begin “as soon as November” to complete new roadway painting and update traffic signals.

“Once work is complete, you will see the following improvements between 9th and Melrose avenues: wider sidewalks buffering pedestrians from freeway noise and higher railings with integrated lighting on the bridges over I-5, increased landscaping and protected bike lanes separated from traffic by curbed buffers and planters,” the city says. Continue reading →

Metro’s 2025 plan for wire-free electric buses includes bright new look

Posted on by
11

(Image: King County Metro)

King County Metro buses are getting a new look for the first time in 19 years. Metro announced  “The New Energy” design of “electric yellow and seafoam blue” intended as “a visual representation of Metro’s commitment to helping combat climate change” will be outfitted on new battery-operated vehicles joining its fleet.

Metro says the new look is “intended to be a visual reminder of the transition away from Metro’s hybrid (diesel-electric) buses to the zero-emission fleet.”

Metro says the new liveries will be phased in as 120 new battery-electric buses start going into service in 2025.

Continue reading →

Denny Way and 23rd Ave light rail lines? 20-year Seattle Transportation Plan taking shape

Posted on by
18

How about safe and efficient protected areas for bikers along its arteries, a proliferation of transit-only lanes, and new light rail lines criss-crossing Capitol Hill and the Central District along 23rd Ave and Denny Way? The Seattle Department of Transportation has published a draft of its “20-year” Seattle Transportation Plan and is beginning the process of gaining public support while — hopefully — addressing shortcomings and challenges in the proposed vision that will guide the city’s leaders and shape its transportation spending for years to come.

The high-level strategy isn’t necessarily about specific projects, instead laying out visions and technical frameworks for changing how SDOT works and makes its decisions. It is the latest in efforts from Department of Transportation head Greg Spotts as he attempts to turn around an organization that has struggled with timelines and compromises. CHS reported in March on the reorganization of the department’s Vision Zero efforts under Spotts to address street safety that included implementation of a “safe systems” model with roads designed to be “self-enforcing.”

The newly released draft of the Seattle Transportation Plan is equally ambitious — and equally removed from the hard realities of implementation SDOT has run into over the years. Continue reading →

Metro says Summit/Bellevue bus service could be saved as it moves forward on changes to Routes 10, 11, and 12 in advance of RapidRide G opening

Posted on by
4

“Option B”

King County Metro says there is wide support for plans to maintain higher frequency while shifting streets used by key bus routes along the coming Madison RapidRide G corridor but that community feedback could help save the planned cuts to bus service on Summit and Bellevue Ave north of Olive Way.

The agency has released new proposal maps and details of updated plans for its “Madison Street Area” network service revisions. CHS reported here earlier this year on the planning and survey process designed around optimizing bus lines in advance of the expected start of RapidRide G service hoped to begin in 2024.

Under the revised plans, Metro says it is moving ahead with changes to Route 10 and Route 12 with a proposal for the lines be “reoriented” to operate along E Pine instead of E John and Madison, until they turn north on 15th Ave and 19th Ave. Metro is also going ahead with the plan to move Route 11 off Pine.

“The Route 10 and Route 12 proposals were supported by respondents to bring more frequent service to important destinations along Pike Street and Pine Street. The Route 11 proposal had strong support from survey respondents,” Metro said about the decision. “The Route 11 proposal (along with the Route 8) would provide all-day, all-week, frequent service between destinations along Olive Way, John Street, and Thomas Street – such as the Capitol Hill Station, Safeway, Kaiser Permanente, Meany Middle School and more.” Continue reading →

With $1.6B to spend over the next six years, audit say Metro needs to build smarter, faster

Posted on by
3

County officials are telling Metro to improve its efficiency when it comes to construction of long-term projects and system improvements after an audit showed most of its big efforts finish behind schedule.

In the report (PDF), analysis showed most of Metro’s construction efforts took about 15% longer to finish than planned and the agency often didn’t do a good job of reflecting how much costs increased from original estimates. Under rising inflation, longer construction timelines also brought exponential increases in costs. Continue reading →

Ongoing ‘workforce shortages’ mean more service cutbacks at Metro

Posted on by

You’re hired (Image: King County Metro)

King County Metro is holding a press conference Thursday morning to announce planned cutbacks in service starting this fall due to ongoing staffing issues.

The Seattle Times has been given early information on the changes planned to begin September 2nd including the suspension of 20 routes — most serving northern areas near Shoreline, the Eastside, and South King County, plus reduced service on routes including the 7, 10, 20, 28, 36, 73, 79, 225, 230, 231, 255 and 345.

Metro says the cutbacks are necessary due to ongoing challenges hiring enough drivers and mechanics. “Workforce shortages” also forced reduced service in 2022.

Metro will provide more information on the service proposals and public feedback opportunities.

 

PLEASE HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE!
Subscribe to CHS to help us pay writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for as little as $5 a month.