Improve Buses on the East Side of Green Lake

Three buses currently serve the east side of Green Lake: The 20, 45 and 62. As soon as Link gets to Lynnwood, the 20 will go away. There are aspects of the 20 that should be adopted by the other routes. However, this will require the help of the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). Here are the things that SDOT and Metro can do to significantly improve transit in the area:

The 62 was created with the U-Link restructure. It replaced part of what was then the 16. I don't have a link for the route but you can see it on Oran's old map (it went from Northgate to downtown via Aurora and Green Lake). This helps explain why a southbound 62 goes the wrong direction (north) on Ravenna before heading back south on Woodlawn. With the Northgate restructure, planners hoped to improve the route in this area by having it follow Latona and 56th to Meridian. Unfortunately, changing the route would require SDOT to harden the street and they couldn't do it then. Now that Metro is about to get rid of the 20 it is time to push for this. By following the previously proposed route, it would improve things in couple ways:

1. There would be better coverage in the area (especially with the 20 gone). The bus would run through the middle of the neighborhood, minimizing the distance someone has to travel to get to a bus stop.
2. It would be considerably faster. This is not only better for riders of that bus, but it saves Metro money, which would allow the agency to increase service levels (there or elsewhere).

The 45 was essentially split off from the 48 with the U-Link restructure. North of 65th it has followed that route for as long as I can remember. In contrast, the old 16 (and more recent 20) follow a different path through the area. Both are problematic. I propose having the 45 follow the current route of the 20 (like so) but with some changes by SDOT.

Right now the 20 encounters two significant problems in that area. The first is turning left from 1st to 80th. Although both streets are arterials, there are no traffic lights or stop signs there. As a result the bus spends a lot of time waiting for a break in traffic. The second is that eastbound rush-hour traffic often builds up along 80th. This can delay a bus considerably.

But the pathway of the 45 is not without issues either. It is common for traffic along the lake to be very slow (especially on nice days). The path of the 20 covers the area better, so that is preferable even if it is only as fast as the current 45. Changing the route and making it faster would require a couple fixes (with a possible variation):

• Add eastbound BAT lanes between Wallingford Avenue and 1st. This would require getting rid of some parking and moving southbound 80th closer to the curb. This would have a side benefit: Safety. Right now drivers exit the freeway and then make a sweeping right turn (downhill) on 80th. There is no merge there, so drivers often go too fast. This would act like a chicane, slowing drivers.
• Add a stop sign or traffic signal at 80th & 1st. The cheapest option would be a stop sign there. A traffic signal would work, especially if it was triggered by a bus (or a beg button for pedestrians or cyclists). Either a stop sign or traffic signal would again improve safety and make crossing the street a lot easier.

Both of these changes are relatively minor, but the benefits would be big. With the loss of the 20, these changes make more sense than ever. Contact your city and county representative (especially if you live in the area) to request these improvements.