Officials explore contracted Seattle bus service as traffic worsens (Sammamish: how much, transfer)

[CrazyDonkey]

Officials explore contracted Seattle bus service as traffic worsens

A contracted Seattle bus service could help ease several problems, including improving Metro bus capacity and eliminating the number of transfers bus riders must go through. The money for contracted transit services would come from the Seattle Transportation Benefit District, with up to $5 million being available for the contracted services alone.

It’s unknown how much of this contracted transit service would look. The city doesn’t know who would operate it, how much it would cost, or which vehicles would be used. There was discussion during Tuesday’s Transportation Committee meeting that bus capacity would be approximately 10-15 people, depending on demand.

Most bus routes go through Downtown - if you need to go to someplace other than Downtown, in many cases you still have to go through Downtown. When I used to drive alone, I would avoid Downtown if I could: 1) taking the Viaduct or 2) cutting up to Boren.

Right now, to go from West Ballard to Cherry Hill, for instance, takes three buses and up to an hour and a half. If there was an on-demand mini-bus service I could call that would pick me up and drop me off, the trip could probably be done in less than 45 minutes.

[Hemlock140]

I use the bus 4 days a week normally from Sammamish and they go straight through from the Eastside to Westlake without transfers. The problem is no more 99 route, so no alternative but to walk from Westlake to my office, 1.1 miles. It’s a bit miserable in heavy rain or when below freezing, but otherwise I consider it to be good exercise. Adding those buses may help take pressure off of metro buses, but will only add to the congestion, just as the Uber/Lyft cars have done.

[Kayela]

I'd prefer to see that money go into expanding and improving Metro instead, and add more routes and busses. They already have infrastructure, equipment, and drivers - better to build on that than have someone else start from scratch. They should have enough data to know which point-to-point routes would help, and I for one would love to see more busses on congested routes. I stopped taking the bus to work because there was never any room on it, so not only did it take twice as long, but it was also physically uncomfortable.

[87112]

I thought Metro was short of drivers. It a tough job for sure. You lose your fitness. Have to look over your shoulder all the time worrying about violent riders and the obvious Lovely Seattle traffic.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I use the bus 4 days a week normally from Sammamish and they go straight through from the Eastside to Westlake without transfers. The problem is no more 99 route, so no alternative but to walk from Westlake to my office, 1.1 miles. It’s a bit miserable in heavy rain or when below freezing, but otherwise I consider it to be good exercise. Adding those buses may help take pressure off of metro buses, but will only add to the congestion, just as the Uber/Lyft cars have done.

I think the theory is that a mini-bus carrying 10-15 riders could take close to as many cars off the road. Even eight cars off the road vs one mini-bus would be a congestion plus, it seems to me. On demand door-to-door service was my suggestion - what they are looking at are "diagonal", but fixed, routes that skip Downtown: Ballard<-->First Hill, Green Lake<-->Uptown, etc. Note that the #16 used to go from Green Lake to Uptown, while the #62, which duplicates some of the old #16 route, goes Downtown, instead.

Metro has sacrificed coverage (and accessibility) to frequency to boost ridership. Looking at a "period of maximum constraint" Downtown over the next three years, with intensified tower construction, convention center expansion, and demolition of the Viaduct, they're looking at ways to increase coverage/access by getting 1) solo-drivers into buses by serving commute routes that don't go Downtown and 2) bus-riders out of Downtown, who transit it on the way to somewhere else. This could also be an additional reason to delay construction of the First Avenue Streetcar.

[noah]

Be nice to see a route directly to Alki, given how many people live near by + tourists and locals visit Alki. Right now its either take the long route on the 50 bus or catch the couple commuter buses that go in a few hour block in the mornings.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Kayela

I'd prefer to see that money go into expanding and improving Metro instead, and add more routes and busses. They already have infrastructure, equipment, and drivers - better to build on that than have someone else start from scratch. They should have enough data to know which point-to-point routes would help, and I for one would love to see more busses on congested routes. I stopped taking the bus to work because there was never any room on it, so not only did it take twice as long, but it was also physically uncomfortable.

Does METRO have any express busses for commute hours? That's basically what you're talking about. And what happened to the movement to create a number of cross-town routes, that connect different parts of town without having to go downtown and transfer?

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Does METRO have any express busses for commute hours? That's basically what you're talking about. And what happened to the movement to create a number of cross-town routes, that connect different parts of town without haviboutt ng to go downtown and transfer?

Well, the RapidRide lines are basically express routes with less frequent stops, although not limited to commute hours.

The 15x, 17x, 18x, and 64x are "peak hour express" buses that go Downtown in the morning, and back out in the afternoon. The 26x and 28x are "express" buses less frequent stops, but are not limited to commute hours. The 29 is not officially a "peak hour express" bus, but goes Downtown in the morning and back out to Ballard in the afternoon. The 41 is not officially an express bus, but goes from Northgate to Downtown in about 20 minutes, taking I-5 much of the way.

[noah]

For West Seattle to downtown they have several -- 55x, 21x, 116, 118, 37.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

I think the theory is that a mini-bus carrying 10-15 riders could take close to as many cars off the road. Even eight cars off the road vs one mini-bus would be a congestion plus, it seems to me. On demand door-to-door service was my suggestion - what they are looking at are "diagonal", but fixed, routes that skip Downtown: Ballard<-->First Hill, Green Lake<-->Uptown, etc. Note that the #16 used to go from Green Lake to Uptown, while the #62, which duplicates some of the old #16 route, goes Downtown, instead.

Metro has sacrificed coverage (and accessibility) to frequency to boost ridership. Looking at a "period of maximum constraint" Downtown over the next three years, with intensified tower construction, convention center expansion, and demolition of the Viaduct, they're looking at ways to increase coverage/access by getting 1) solo-drivers into buses by serving commute routes that don't go Downtown and 2) bus-riders out of Downtown, who transit it on the way to somewhere else. This could also be an additional reason to delay construction of the First Avenue Streetcar.

Good theory, but I don't think it will work that way. People that drive alone will continue. What these small buses will do is take away from the Metro/ST ridership for bus commuters that want more convenience and less crowding.