Seattle Transit Blog

Sound Transit and King County Metro, along with agencies in other major cities, are making a concerted effort for more federal assistance in the upcoming COVID-19 relief package. Yesterday, the leaders of 27 major agencies joined in calling for up to $36 billion in aid for transit to cover COVID-related expenses and replacing depleted local … Continue reading "Sound Transit & other agencies in push for federal assistance"

There’s a certain thread of argument in transit advocacy that is frustrating because it is totally factually accurate, and yet completely misses the point. The latest example is this report on American light rail by the right-leaning Manhattan Institute, called The Economics of Urban Light Rail: A Guide for Planners and Citizens. America has way … Continue reading "Maximizing ridership is easy"

On the first day of summer, I complained that the City hadn’t opened more streets to pedestrians, specifically in high-density commercial districts, to allow for more outdoor social distancing and commercial activity. I figure I should follow up to note that the day after my post went live SDOT announced it was opening up several … Continue reading "SDOT making it easier for businesses set up shop outdoors"

A recent view of the East Link alignment through Bellevue, courtesy of Bellevue Transportation Department. Heavy civil construction is expected to be substantially complete in Bellevue this Fall, except on the central Bellevue segment where it will complete early in 2021. This is an open thread.

Mike Lindblom and Heidi Groover report ($) that King County Executive Dow Constantine wants to reopen February’s collective bargaining agreement that grants ATU-587 raises of 3% the next two years and 4% in 2022-23. The Union has good reason to consider it. With revenues collapsing and service cuts coming in September, layoffs appear inevitable. Lower … Continue reading "Metro asks to defer driver raises"

With a comprehensive realignment of capital projects delayed until July 2021, Sound Transit turned its attention yesterday to current projects where advances through project stage gates have been on hold since March. The Board must decide in coming months how to proceed on many of these projects in 2021 pending decisions on the broader program. … Continue reading "Decisions later this year on delayed projects"

This week, a new proposal for a Seattle Transit Benefit District (TBD) was released by the mayor’s office. As presented, it’s about half the size of the 2014’s wildly successful TBD that contributed to our US leading ridership growth. Putting aside our desire for a larger measure, we have major concerns about what was included … Continue reading "Use the Seattle TBD to fund transit service"

Five years ago this month city released the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda recommendations, a.k.a. the HALA report, aimed at making Seattle more affordable and, well, livable. Thanks to lots of work from the mayor(s) and council, many of the 65 recommendations have since become law, including marquee items like Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) and … Continue reading "HALA, zoning and racism five years later"

TCC’s reaction to the Seattle TBD proposal. Redlining and Single-Family Zoning. RIP Mike Winkler, Oral arguments on I-976 ($). CT CEO Emmett Heath retiring ($). Spokane moving up the bike rankings. Uber and Lyft drivers make $10 an hour — or $23. Apartment construction has gotten harder — since 2019. ($) SBB with a funny … Continue reading "News roundup: moving up"

Mayor Durkan and Seattle DOT today proposed a 6-year renewal for the Seattle Transportation Benefit District (TBD), which would go before the voter this fall. Councilmember Alex Pedersen, who chairs the transportation committee, will bring it before the City Council for approval, ending months of speculation about the fate of city bus service. The slimmed-down … Continue reading "Durkan, SDOT propose a smaller Transportation Benefit District for this fall’s ballot"

I rode several bus routes over the weekend to check out how well riders were taking to the new state edict to wear a face covering in public. As expected, close to half the riders did not have masks at all. A program to distribute free masks would help a lot, in that regard. Thank … Continue reading "WEAR YOUR DAMN MASK"

Sound Transit posted this cab video of a northbound train on the Sounder North Line. Enjoy with your own music. This is an open thread.

Last month’s Times story that rents are dropping in West Seattle ($) since the bridge closed spurs two thoughts. There’s something honorable about journalism that always tries to find the person who is hurt in any change to the status quo, so that readers can understand the human costs. But there’s also something perverse about … Continue reading "All news is bad news"

A reduced Seattle Transportation Benefit District (STBD), extending the existing 0.1% sales tax but not replacing the lost vehicle licence fee revenues, appears headed to the November ballot. If approved, it will fund youth ORCA and low income programs at existing levels. But Seattle will purchase much less bus service than in previous years, and … Continue reading "A smaller Seattle TBD for the November ballot"

East-west passenger rail Center city connector on pause (11:44) Jump bikes (15:16) Opening streets (24:46) Community Transit and Everett Transit (31:50) Metro cuts (37:35) Download link

Sounder and Link fares return today, but Link headways are still way down. A new computer game lets you fix Seattle’s streets. Four more miles of Stay Healthy Streets. West Seattle Bridge is reparable, SDOT thinks. Transit priority on the low bridge chipped away ($), now in the night. There’s a survey for which Stay … Continue reading "News roundup: TV star"

A state study of passenger rail service via Stampede Pass (report, slides) reveals options that are relatively inexpensive but also not ambitious enough to provide competitive options between cities. The most expansive option would run Spokane to Seattle with a running time of 8:35 (!). As with any indirect route, it mostly has to be … Continue reading "East-West Rail study: small project, small impact"

The Sound Transit Board has given up on earlier plans to decide a capital program realignment this year, and will extend the process into the middle of next year. The new “path forward” is a comprehensive realignment plan and schedule for future project delivery by July 2021. In the meantime, a more limited set of … Continue reading "Sound Transit realignment process will extend another year"

As of last Friday, wearing a cloth face covering (over your mouth and nose) in public, or staying at least six feet away from other human beings, is now the law in Washington State. This is an open thread.

Thanks to some unexpected free time these last few months, Pantograph is now available for three agencies in two new regions—our neighbors at TransLink of greater Vancouver, TriMet of Portland, and Lane Transit District of Eugene. Pantograph works in these new cities just as it does today in Puget Sound. Features include real-time mapping of … Continue reading "Pantograph transit tracker now available in Vancouver, BC and Portland, OR"

Months before the economic outlook turned gloomy amid the global COVID pandemic, Everett Transit was looking at financial trouble. Last year, the city-run system revealed that it forecast a $1.6 million budget shortfall that would continue due to Everett’s declining retail sales. While the agency has great plans to improve its network in coming years, … Continue reading "Everett Transit looks at future options, including merger"

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has paused work on the Center City Connector (CCC) and several other projects as the city wrangles a steep revenue deficit. The pause appears likely to further delay the start of service. But the recession also threatens the longer term future of the streetcar. Needed revenues from the rideshare … Continue reading "Center City Connector on hold again amid fresh funding gaps"

How race intersects ($) with transportation planning. Already, calls to chip away at bus priority on the low West Seattle Bridge. But the high bridge is reparable, at least for a while. Sound Transit audit ($) makes suggestions that could save hundreds of millions, but out of almost $100 billion in spending. Sam Zimbabwe goes … Continue reading "News roundup: already"

Monica Nickelsburg reports that the Jump bikes, now acquired by Lime but, confusingly, still painted red and using the Jump Uber app, are back on the streets this week. The Lime brand has largely pivoted to scooters worldwide, but here in Seattle they’re still waiting for the City to figure out how scooter permits will … Continue reading "The bikes are back"

The city’s Stay Healthy Streets are an innovative, low-cost way to increase people space by bootstrapping on the existing greenways network. Kudos to the Mayor and SDOT for a creative solution. But as businesses start to re-open, we’ll need a much more aggressive approach, one that goes beyond the low-density residential areas and into commercial … Continue reading "Time to open more streets"

Warning: Crude language and violent subject matter This is an open thread.

With Snohomish County well into Phase 2 of its pandemic recovery, Community Transit is set to begin restoring its bus service over the next few months. On July 6, CT will bring service levels back to 75% of pre-pandemic trips to accommodate an increased need on heavily-used routes. A 85% restoration will take place in … Continue reading "Community Transit plans phased reopening in July and September"

Somehow, with transit cuts coming everywhere, Via rideshares live for another day. $35m cost overrun ($) on Tacoma Link. Meet bus driver Clay McClure. Bus hits 3rd Avenue pole. The future of Pierce Transit ($). ST gets $2m from Feds for Everett TOD. ST Express returning to fares, more 550 runs July 1. Feds providing … Continue reading "News roundup: more"

Metro announced yesterday that it is largely restoring pre-pandemic service levels on Monday: The result is Metro will operate more than 11,000 weekday bus trips, or 85% of its pre-COVID service level. Saturday service will be 8,200 trips (99%) and Sunday service will be 7,000 trips (99%). Starting Monday, Metro’s will increase the number of … Continue reading "Metro recovery starts Monday"

The Sound Transit Executive Committee failed on Thursday to reach agreement on realignment criteria for ST3 projects. Board members sought a set of agreed criteria for a better-tuned realignment, but in the end voted only to send a framework of possible criteria to the full Board without recommendation. A “blunt instrument” delay of five years … Continue reading "Sound Transit Board argues realignment criteria"

Seattle Office of Housing (PDF): Three parcels totaling 3.79 acres of land and more than 179,000 square feet, opposite the Mount Baker Link light rail station. Transformative opportunity to develop affordable housing, ground floor early learning, and open space near high capacity transit. The laundry facility, next to Mt. Baker Station, was one factor in … Continue reading "Mt. Baker laundry site to become affordable housing"

With the September 2020 service change, Metro will restore service to about 85% of pre-COVID levels. However, that’s just a precursor to a series of service reductions Metro is preparing over the next two years, with a cumulative reduction of 20%-30% of service from previous levels rolling out through every service change in 2021 and … Continue reading "More cuts in Metro service in 2021 & 2022"

MASS Coalition is raising funds for three POC-led organizations that are doing vital work supporting and strengthening Seattle communities RapidRide H construction has started. “Online open house” about Mercer Island bus/rail interface. Mountlake Terrace Freeway Station closing for construction, July 6th till November. Everett Transit looking at revenue-boosting options ($). Oregon agencies want to keep … Continue reading "News roundup: no more"

Due to a dramatic ridership decline as a result of COVID-19, Metro has reduced bus service to match ridership demand. But with revenues cratering, yesterday it announced a permanent 15% service cut compared to pre-pandemic levels for its September service change. This includes a 50% drop in Seattle-funded service, allowing it to continue to the … Continue reading "Metro to come back in September with 15% less service"

King County Metro has some challenging times ahead. The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to lead to a recession, one which is forecast to be as bad or worse than the great recession of 2008. Funding from the CARES act can help offset losses in the short term, but Metro will almost certainly have to reduce … Continue reading "Metro’s 2015 restructures, revisited"

Swift’s Link connection Recovery fare (14:21) CDC’s questionable transit advice (21:55) ST’s revenue shortfall (27:12) Passenger ferries (34:08) Tacoma Dome Link (35:49) Download link

On June 1st, Sound Transit instituted a “recovery fare” of $1 on Link and $2 on Sounder through June 30th, after a period of not collecting fares at all. ORCA is still charged at the normal rate; cheaper fares are only available through ticket machines or the TransitGO App. Early reports say 19% of Link … Continue reading "The “recovery fare”"

After almost four months of consideration, Community Transit announced that it has picked the route to extend the Swift Blue Line to intersect with Link. It will maintain a stop at Aurora Village Transit Center, as shown above. Alternatives would have continued on Aurora, skipping the transit center. Meridian is a residential street less likely … Continue reading "Swift picks a Link extension"

It’s been 9 months since Sound Transit broke ground on Lynnwood Link, the first step towards a light rail spine in Snohomish County. While the past few months have gone in an unexpected direction, there has still been visible progress along the I-5 corridor from Northgate to Lynnwood. As with past photo tours, these shots … Continue reading "Photo Tour: Lynnwood Link, quarantine edition"

Things not looking great for the Point Wells development proposal, and a mooted Sounder Station there. The monorail is running again. Now Bellevue is closing streets to cars. Bye bye beg button. ECB on the future of Stay Healthy Streets. NACTO has new guidelines for Covid-proofing our streets. The dilemmas of a transit manager during … Continue reading "News roundup: disconcerting"

Over the lifetime of the ST3 program, Sound Transit now expects a revenue shortfall on the order of $8-12 billion. Without adjusting expenditures, the agency will run out of available debt capacity by 2028. On Wednesday afternoon, a Board workshop learned more about the depth of the financial crisis and began to review options for … Continue reading "Sound Transit faces $8-12 billion revenue shortfall"

The simplicity of the Seattle Transportation Benefit District (STBD) is a big part of its appeal: two straightforward taxes used to purchase Metro service hours. Back when it was first proposed, then-councilmember Nick Licata insisted that the money not go to what he considered wasteful capital projects (a.k.a. streetcars). But several years ago, with Metro … Continue reading "The ever-present allure of capital funds"

The Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) has a survey of potential passenger ferry routes on Lake Washington and Puget Sound. It’s part of a study commissioned by the Legislature earlier this year and due to be complete by January. The rather generously scoped study is to examine ferry opportunities across the twelve-county Puget Sound region. … Continue reading "Another passenger ferry study"

The Tacoma Dome Link Extension (TDLE) delivers rail from Federal Way to the Tacoma Dome, not to be confused with the “Tacoma Link” streetcar running today. It will offer a 35 minute ride from the Tacoma Dome to Seatac in 2030, compared to 37 to 74 minutes, less frequently and reliably, scheduled on ST 574 … Continue reading "Tacoma Dome Link reduces the options"

A series of meetings this week will select criteria for Sound Transit’s program realignment. A Board workshop will be held on Wednesday. On Thursday the Executive Committee expects to recommend evaluation criteria for projects to be altered or delayed. On June 25, the full Board is to approve those criteria before a further series of … Continue reading "Sound Transit to decide evaluation criteria for program realignment"

RapidRide H construction about to start. Seattle seeks federal money for the West Seattle Bridge, which makes feel better about prospects for light rail. Bike trips way up. Friend of the blog Greg Nickels and environmental activist Paulina Lopez to help sort out the West Seattle Bridge mess ($). Homes for 35,000 by light rail … Continue reading "News roundup: about to start"

Seattle added 11,440 residents in the year ended last July, faster growth than any other city outside the sunbelt, and enough to make Seattle America’s fastest growing large city since 2010. But that is still the fewest residents Seattle has added any year this decade, and a halving of the peak growth seen in 2016. … Continue reading "Seattle’s growth slows again as Eastside grows faster"