by Oran Viriyincy on (#539EN)
Seattle Transit Blog
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| Updated | 2024-05-19 14:03 |
by Gerick Lee on (#538JS)
In February, I wrote a piece detailing my thoughts on how to name the Link lines. In it, I prioritized usability and conformity with international best practice. The verdict is in, and Sound Transit have announced that Link lines will be numbered moving forward. In my opinion, this is great – they’re universal, and avoid … Continue reading "Reviewing the new Link line names"
by Timothy Daniel on (#537DE)
As we all know, we are facing a dual crisis: a global pandemic, intertwined with the start of an economic depression. As restaurants, bars and stores are forced to close to curb the progression of COVID-19, hundreds of thousands in Washington State are losing their jobs. According to official statistics, nearly 630,000 Washingtonians filed for … Continue reading "Society will reopen one day. When that happens, we need free public transit"
by Martin H. Duke on (#535EZ)
Overview of Sound Transit construction in a pandemic. ST piloting fares below ORCA LIFT. Take the park and ride survey. Now the Overlake garage ($) is cracking. Steam locomotives on display in Washington. This is an open thread.
by Frank Chiachiere on (#5344T)
Parking garages and opportunity cost ST3 cuts (17:00) Future metro ridership (25:56) West Seattle bridge (34:19) Musings on a work-from-home future (42:07) Download link (Apologies for the audio quality on this one. We had an unexpected gear change before recording.)
by David Lawson on (#532CX)
Metro service in South King County has been the unsung hero of Seattle-area transit for many years, serving lots of lower-income people in mostly unwalkable communities but never quite getting the service improvements even Metro admits it deserves. The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted further the importance of the South End network, with virtually every South … Continue reading "KC Council considers South End service change for September"
by Martin H. Duke on (#5311T)
We just got the annual report, but now there’s an update for SDOT’s 1st quarter projects (full report here). Covid-19 looms over everything, but the agency spent only about 2/3 of its budget mostly because of more quotidian delays: weather, permitting, and finding unexpected stuff underground. There’s tons of data on safety, sidewalks, bike improvements, … Continue reading "Move Seattle’s 1st quarter"
by Oran Viriyincy on (#52ZVC)
Cities: Skylines is basically the modern successor to SimCity. This guy is making a Seattle-inspired city complete with Link trains.
by Bruce Englehardt on (#52Z2J)
While light rail construction in Lynnwood is temporarily halted, the next extension to Everett will continue early planning and design as originally scheduled. Snohomish County has opened a new survey into their subarea planning for stations at Mariner (128th Street) and Ash Way (164th Street), located in the unincorporated area between Everett and Lynnwood. According … Continue reading "Snohomish County plots out light rail station area growth, wants feedback"
by Martin H. Duke on (#52XDB)
SDOT closing more streets to cars. A few more suggestions. WSDOT’s budget ($) is in trouble. Pierce Transit buses now serving as WiFi hotspots (!) Snohomish County picks Link station locations ($). Spokane buys some buses for its BRT line. Some construction starting again, including more for Sound Transit. Murals of Capitol Hill. Zillow going … Continue reading "News roundup: in trouble"
by Dan Ryan on (#52WAD)
Yesterday, the Washington State Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge by King County and others to I-976, the initiative approved by statewide voters last November to remove car tabs. Yesterday’s decision fast-forwards the case so it moves directly from King County Superior Court to the Supreme Court without a transfer to the Court of … Continue reading "I-976 moves to the Supreme Court"
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by Martin H. Duke on (#52TZV)
Dan’s report on the ever-increasing cost of Sounder parking garages demands a little rough math. The per-space arithmetic is damning enough. But the opportunity costs are the practical reason to hope for something better. The most expensive of these is Auburn Station, which is now to cost $120m in year of expenditure (YOE) dollars for … Continue reading "Opportunity cost of a parking garage"
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by Dan Ryan on (#52S1S)
Via a recent Metro briefing comes a striking map of how Metro ridership has shifted in the COVID era. The 10% of routes with the greatest ridership losses all serve the Eastside or a few Seattle neighborhoods close to the water. Very nearly all of the 10% of routes where ridership has been most stable … Continue reading "Metro ridership shifts hint at the future"
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by Martin H. Duke on (#52QFA)
As ridership plummets and the union advocates for tougher safety precautions, Metro is following the lead of other agencies and limiting the number of people on a bus. You may have to wait for the next one if the bus exceeds these limits, although the driver is supposed to take everyone at the stop when … Continue reading "Metro introduces passenger limits"
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by Brent White on (#52PH2)
This is an openly thread.
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by Frank Chiachiere on (#52NDD)
With Puget Sound transit ridership down to a trickle, no doubt many of you are missing your favorite bus or train route. Cheer yourself up with a Transit Supply sticker pack! All the local agencies are represented here in adorable sticker form. Transit Supply is the brain child of Chris Arvin, a San Francisco-based designer. … Continue reading "Miss your favorite bus or train? Get a sticker!"
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by Dan Ryan on (#52M12)
Yesterday’s Sound Transit Board meeting saw first steps toward the realignment of ST3 projects that now appears inevitable. In a preview of discussions to come, the meeting featured unusually intense questioning of spending on Sounder fleet procurement and parking garages in Auburn, though both moved forward. Chairman Keel set the tone: No project and no … Continue reading "Sound Transit Board sharpens pencils for ST3 program savings"
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by Martin H. Duke on (#52JBF)
Sound Transit 3, from its inception, has been a compromise between various regional interests. With likely economic trouble and a failed bridge to West Seattle, some people are interested in reopening the bargain. Some of these people never liked taxes for transit in the first place, and seek a rhetorical opening for a redo. Others … Continue reading "Rethinking ST3?"
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by Martin H. Duke on (#52GKY)
Mayor Durkan suggests combining the two bridges we have to build to West Seattle. The Urbanist agrees! SDOT closes some streets to cars to increase social distancing. The Edmonds waterfront, too. ATU demands hazard pay ($) and stronger protections. Nationwide, almost 100 transit workers have died of Covid-19. Bad news: they may have to close … Continue reading "News roundup: bad news"
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by Dan Ryan on (#52EVT)
Several future parking expansions for Sounder South stations are projected to come in far above earlier cost estimates. On Thursday, the Sound Transit Board is expected to approve a 675 stall garage at Auburn Station that will cost $120 million, 54% more than the previously approved financial plan. At Sumner Station, Sound Transit intends to … Continue reading "How much is too much for a transit parking garage?"
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by Brent White on (#52D3N)
On Thursday, King County Metro operator Samina Hameed passed away after contracting COVID-19. She had driven for Metro since 2017. Her husband is also a Metro operator. Hameed is the first Metro employee to succumb to the virus. STB wishes to express our deepest condolences to the family. She joins Scott Ryan, a Community Transit … Continue reading "RIP, Samina Hameed"
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by Bruce Englehardt on (#52B1H)
Beginning this weekend, Sound Transit and King County Metro are once again reducing service to meet demand for essential travel with fewer available drivers. They join several suburban agencies who have done their own second-route cuts, even as federal relief aid is expected to land here. For Sound Transit, this means another frequency cut for … Continue reading "Sound Transit and Metro announce more service cuts"
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by Dan Ryan on (#529PQ)
On Wednesday, SDOT revealed bad news about the deteriorating West Seattle Bridge. The bridge now seems certain to remain closed through the end of 2021. It is not clear whether it can ever reopen to traffic. Any repairs are unlikely to yield more than another ten years of useful life. (The coverage of the technical … Continue reading "Losing the West Seattle Bridge"
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by Frank Chiachiere on (#5283K)
We take questions from the reader mailbag. Download link
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by Martin H. Duke on (#52642)
With the cuts more or less done for now, its getting slooooow in the transitsphere: Another way to report badly parked bikeshares. If able bodied, you could just, you know, move it. ECB writes about the plight of the bus driver today. Seattle and Uber/Lyft reach a deal: not pushing unionization, but a minimum wage … Continue reading "News roundup: smart thoughts"
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by Martin H. Duke on (#524TV)
Frank and I will tape tonight. Please leave your questions for us in the comments.
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by Martin H. Duke on (#524TW)
A lifetime ago, King County floated a countywide 0.2% sales tax increase for the August ballot, to replace Seattle’s expiring Transportation Benefit District (TBD) and expand its benefits to rest of the county. Weeks later, King County Transportation Chair Claudia Balducci had to shelve it as the virus ate everything. The last day to file … Continue reading "It’s not too late for a November transit measure"
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by Dan Ryan on (#52334)
Local transit agencies are facing financial challenges as revenues from fares and sales taxes decline precipitously. Federal aid has mitigated the most immediate operational impacts, but the affordability of the ST3 expansion plan is now in question. Sound Transit on Thursday signaled it was looking at a re-prioritization of planned capital projects. Decisions on delays … Continue reading "Sound Transit considers ST3 delays as financial outlook worsens"
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by Martin H. Duke on (#521XT)
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by Frank Chiachiere on (#5216N)
The Seattle Times editorial board recently performed a rare bit of service journalism: Fortunately, limited-income seniors, disabled homeowners and veterans are getting a break, with a more generous property-tax exemption taking effect this year. This change is past due and needs to be communicated broadly, so everyone eligible is aware of the opportunity. This is … Continue reading "Property tax exemptions"
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by Frank Chiachiere on (#51ZXS)
Last fall, Sound Transit announced a new naming scheme, and then quickly backtracked after community criticism over the term “red line.†Various schemes have been proposed in the meantime, including here on our site. Yesterday ST unveiled the revised scheme to the public. STB alum Zach Shaner explains the changes on the Sound Transit blog: … Continue reading "New Sound Transit naming scheme favors numbers over colors"
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by Bruce Englehardt on (#51YGD)
A few months ago, we mentioned that Community Transit was considering a truncation for many of its commuter routes to Northgate Station in 2021 to re-use bus hours for frequency. The second phase proposal for the restructure was presented to the CT Board on Thursday and is now available for online public comments. The changes … Continue reading "Snohomish County express buses to be more frequent under Northgate truncation plan"
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by Martin H. Duke on (#51WCE)
Plan for West Seattle Bridge is not fully baked. For other SDOT projects the work goes on. Intercity Transit is now by reservation only. Sound Transit shuts down most construction projects till at least May 4, but East Link work on the I-90 bridge, and the new O&M facility, must go on. It’s asking a … Continue reading "News roundup: by reservation only"
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by Sherwin Lee on (#51TYJ)
We like to style ourselves a pro-transit blog but I think it’s more accurate to say that we’re actually pro-density. Among density’s chief benefits is the ability to capture efficiencies from people living close together. Yet under COVID-19 guidelines, we’re being taught to live the opposite: socially distance, keep six feet apart from one another, and … Continue reading "What does COVID-19 mean for density?"
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by Martin H. Duke on (#51S8Z)
As the 9 year, $900m Move Seattle levy nears its halfway mark this year, it’s a good time to take stock of what small projects are already done, and if the big-ticket items are on track. SDOT’s Annual Report provides some clues. The 2018 Levy Assessment recalibrated SDOT’s objectives given spiraling costs and the $300m … Continue reading "Move Seattle’s 2019 Annual Report"
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by Oran Viriyincy on (#51R2H)
This is an open thread.
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by Bruce Englehardt on (#51Q5W)
Last updated: April 7, 2020. Beginning on Monday, Sound Transit and Pierce Transit will be among the agencies to cut back their service further in response to low ridership, staffing shortages, and cost-saving measures. King County Metro is bucking the trend by restoring some of its service that was cut in the initial reductions last … Continue reading "New round of service cuts announced for Sound Transit and Pierce Transit"
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by Bruce Englehardt on (#51NTH)
On Thursday, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced their appropriations for $25 billion in national transit relief funding from the CARES Act, which was passed by Congress a week ago. The relief package includes $521 million in funding for transit agencies in the Seattle area, as well as an additional $133 million for other agencies … Continue reading "CARES Act grants $521 million in relief funds for local agencies"
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by Dan Ryan on (#51M21)
Bus Rapid Transit on I-405 and SR 522 is likely to be delayed. Only the Burien to Bellevue service is now expected to open on time in 2024. Expectations for service on the northern part of I-405 and SR 522 have slipped into 2025. The delays were first publicly shared at last Thursday’s Sound Transit … Continue reading "ST3 BRT projects delayed"
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by Martin H. Duke on (#51HTJ)
We finally have a printed schedule for Link again. I-976 on its way to the Supreme Court. More CT drivers ($) have Covid-19. RIP Scott Ryan ($). Sound Transit suing longtime ally Microsoft ($) over land easements for Redmond Link. Metro adds back some trips it just cut, “to better promote social distancingâ€. It’ll become … Continue reading "News roundup: finally"
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by Frank Chiachiere on (#51GGW)
Special guest Alex Hudson, Executive Director of Transportation Choices Coalition Federal funding & Covid-19 response County ballot measure is…dead? (13:23) Legislative update (21:19) Fare enforcement (26:57) Eastside restructure (33:02) West Seattle bridge (38:34) Download
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by Frank Chiachiere on (#51EV3)
The people behind Transit, one of the more popular trip planning apps, have put together an estimate on how Covid-19 has affected every transit agency they track. Here are the figures for the Puget Sound. The company says that the percentage declines are approximated based on previous years’ app usage, since they don’t have actual … Continue reading "Transit app estimates local transit ridership decline"
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by Brent White on (#51DMH)
This is an open thread.
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by Alex Kvenvolden on (#51CPB)
With the Puget Sound region largely shut down due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is a dramatic drop in public transit ridership across all areas of the region. Though Sound Transit was already one of the transit agencies that opted to temporarily reduce service starting this past Monday, those changes were relatively light on … Continue reading "Additional Sound Transit service cuts coming March 30"
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by Martin H. Duke on (#51ART)
Water Taxi delays its spring schedule. Victoria Clipper packing it in till May. Finally, some TOD near TIBS. Star Lake P&R is closed for construction. 2 ST employees test positive for Covid-19. 4 CT drivers, too. PSRC completes its environmental review for its “Vision 2050†process. APTA needs you to contact Congress to help transit … Continue reading "News roundup: packing it in"
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by Dan Ryan on (#519G9)
This afternoon, the Sound Transit Board will consider participating in King County’s program to offer free transit passes to participants of several state benefit programs that are income-based. King County intends to eventually expand the program to all households with income below 80% of the federal poverty level. At the same meeting, the Board is … Continue reading "Sound Transit set to adopt low income fare program, update enforcement policies"
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by Oran Viriyincy on (#517T4)
A new map for a new bus network for the Eastside
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by Martin H. Duke on (#515CG)
In what would have counted as a transportation catastrophe were it not for the much bigger ongoing catastrophe, SDOT discovered “accelerated concrete cracking†in the West Seattle Bridge yesterday. They closed it indefinitely to all traffic 7pm Monday. Mike Lindblom reports the repairs will take on the order of months ($). Metro posted a transit … Continue reading "West Seattle Bridge closed; Metro scrambles"
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by Brent White on (#5141W)
Update: Governor Jay Inslee issued a “Stay home, stay health†order, with a list of essential workers who are exempt, Monday afternoon. It may seem like an Age ago, but it has been less than two weeks since the United Nations’ World Health Organization declared covid-19 to be a pandemic. By the end of last … Continue reading "Other states issue stay-at-home orders while transit gets less-social-distancy here"
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