Metro Route 50 will stay rerouted six more weeks, though stoplight’s almost ready

Those awaiting Metro Transit Route 50‘s debut on its “real” route will have to wait six more weeks. When it launched three months ago as part of a major restructuring tied to the debut of the RapidRide C and D Lines, Metro announced temporary reroutes that it said would be in place until the Genesee/Avalon stoplight was up and running for the westbound trip and turning-radius issues were fixed in Admiral for the eastbound trip. Now that the Genesee/Avalon stoplight is close to its debut, we asked Metro spokesperson Jeff Switzer today if that meant the “real” Route 50 is close too. He tells WSB it’ll be six weeks longer, because they will be changing the bus size:

The Route 50 reroute is scheduled to continue until the Feb. 16 service change, at which time westbound buses will start traveling the original planned route on southbound Delridge Way and westbound on Southwest Genesee Street. The change will happen then because we can switch to a shorter bus that can better make the southbound right turn at that intersection.

At the same time, Route 50 also will shift to the original planned route in the Admiral district, as the shorter buses will be able to make the right turn from Southwest Admiral Way to California Avenue Southwest.

Because of the signal delay – it was at one point expected to be in place before the fall Metro changes – North Delridge has not been served by westbound Route 50, intended as a long-overdue east-west connection in that area.

8 Replies to "Metro Route 50 will stay rerouted six more weeks, though stoplight's almost ready"

  • Drm January 4, 2013 (8:07 am)

    A “shorter” bus ? Great, now let’s go back to those old diesel only belching buses with no air conditioner in the summer, instead of the new ones in use now.

  • dwar January 4, 2013 (10:20 am)

    I am very disappointed in the “NEW’ route 50. We were told in six havasay meetings that I attended that the route 50 would follow the same route as the 56 in West Seattle during the day to replace the 56. Now nothing stops under the bridge east bound and the new route will not stop there west bound, It makes only two stops in the very north of Delridge, hardly an advantage. A route 40 then A 20 was to serve the Delridge cross town connection including Georgrtown. Also the connection in SODO to the light rail is very inconvenient. Another bait and switch from METRO!!

  • Bruce Nourish January 4, 2013 (1:17 pm)

    There were several versions of the September service change proposal, which evolved in response to public comment, and were clearly outlined as tentative and evolving when presented to the public. The 50 followed the Admiral Way alignment only in the first revision.

    Don’t like the change? Talk to your neighbors elsewhere whose feedback prompted Metro to make the change.

  • Richard January 4, 2013 (3:39 pm)

    I don’t see how the stops at SODO/Lander could be any closer to the light rail station if they tried. The stop on the busway is a bit past the intersection so there’s room for multiple buses to line up. The one on Lander — actually I wish that were another half block FURTHER from the station, at 4th, where it would be less isolated (and further from the noisy clanging signal). Ideally the train platform would be closer to Lander, but that’s not Metro’s fault.

  • Doctor Yes January 4, 2013 (10:08 pm)

    Dwar: The 50 stops at SODO link station. What do you want? To be dumped off in the middle of the tracks?” Jeez.

  • dwar January 5, 2013 (1:54 pm)

    Instead of giving good service, Metro is pitting neighbor against neighbor for their own benefit.

  • Olive January 7, 2013 (7:00 pm)

    I am so frustrated by the delays. It looks like the light is up at Avalon and Genesee, so what is the problem? The information about these changes has been really appalling. The website has given mixed information and when I’ve called, the phone operators have often not had accurate information. The bus drivers for the route 50 have told me several times that they just don’t know what is going on. Why is it so difficult to communicate with the community effectvely?

  • dwar January 8, 2013 (10:38 am)

    The Southbound stop is 3/4 of a block from Lander: the Northbound Link ststion is 3/4 of a block North of Lander. You have to cross 6 auto lanes (two parking and four travel) and then two sets of heavy rail tracks and two sets of light rail tracks to make the transfer. I don’t call this convenient. Also the 21 which runs every 15 minutes does not stop at Lander, so if you miss the New 50 you have to wait for the next 50 to continue your trip westbound, sometimes an hour. this is inconvenient also. Jeez

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