66 Replies to "Metro partnering with Diamond for new 'park-and-ride' spaces in West Seattle and elsewhere - but they're not free"

• AMD May 2, 2017 (6:16 pm)

  Isn’t there a Park and Ride on Roxbury across the street from Holy Family?  Or is not no longer an official Park and Ride?

  I feel like I’m going to get some blowback for this, but I would love to see one of the Junction parking lots turned into a parking garage with the ground level being short-term park-while-shopping (keeping the spaces that exist now) and the top two levels being park-and-ride.  Or something along those lines.

  • Beverly Kershaw May 2, 2017 (6:37 pm)

    I agree. With the increasing density in WS, we really do need a park & ride. Especially now that street parking on several blocks of the south/east side of Genesee has been eliminated. Not everyone lives within walking distance of the Junction, & service on the 57 is laughable.

  • Anonymous May 2, 2017 (8:47 pm)

    I would love to see that as well. I would say it would draw more activity to the junction. With kids, stroller, minivan, having easy access to parking would make it easier to shop there.

    U-Village is a good example. Plenty of covered and free parking is a big draw.

  • Captin May 3, 2017 (9:45 am)

    I asked a city rep about that and they said no more park and rides. They are apparently against them. To me that would be fine if we had an actual regional mass transit system but we don’t. There needs to be some sort of stop gap between now and the year 3030

• Jort Sandwich May 2, 2017 (6:30 pm)

  Nothing brings more vitality, life and excitement to a bustling, thriving neighborhood than a parked car, sitting and doing nothing except taking up space for 8 hours a day. 

• JeffK May 2, 2017 (6:54 pm)

  So this is what apodments bring to the neighborhood.  Nice.

  • CAM May 2, 2017 (10:31 pm)

    How is this related to apartments which are specifically built along bus lines to maximize the potential to commute without needing a car? Park and ride is in fact more driven by suburban, single family neighborhoods than apartments. 

    • Scott May 3, 2017 (9:05 am)

      Really you think everyone in those apartments dont have vehicles? I would say that probley 80 % of them have vehicels. 

      • West Seattle since 1979 May 3, 2017 (9:31 am)

        @Scott: Yes, apodment dwellers may have vehicles. But I think what Cam meant is that they wouldn’t have to use park-and-rides because they’re already near a bus stop.  Park-and-rides are used by people who don’t live within walking distance of a bus stop, so they have to drive somewhere near the bus stop and park.

        • KM May 3, 2017 (9:45 am)

          Not to mention Park and Rides also have time limits, so they aren’t a vehicle storage solution for nearby residents. Especially with a fee-based approach.

        • South Park Sassy May 3, 2017 (10:27 am)

          Nope.  Those spots will be leased during the day to park n riders and likely have leases to car commuters that have come home…opposite hours, twice the income.  They do that in Fremont.

        • KM May 3, 2017 (10:47 am)

          Sassy–great point. I was thinking of the more traditional Park and Rides (WSDOT?). That’s exactly what my business model would be if I ran a parking lot.

    • West Seattle since 1979 May 3, 2017 (9:23 am)

      I think the idea is that apodments don’t have enough parking, so if people living in them want to park their car, it’ll have to be on the street.  So that people who are used to driving to a street near the bus stop and parking, then walking to the bus (is this what’s meant by “park-and-hide”) won’t be able to do that anymore because the apodment dwellers will be parking their cars there.   

      • Swede. May 3, 2017 (12:04 pm)

        Works the opposite right now by my place, can never find parking when getting from work since the streets around the bus stop is packed with commuters cars. 

• New Thinking Needed May 2, 2017 (7:25 pm)

  That would mean 118 fewer cars leaving WS assuming the destination is out of WS, those 118 drivers would need to pay for parking AND pay for the bus.  

  Yes, the Roxbury Park & Ride across from the Catholic church remains there. I have noticed a private bus (Google, Microsoft??) stops at the Metro bus stop across from the church.   There is a P & R at Olson Place & Myers Way where the Senior housing complex is now located, there are 48 spaces. Metro route 60 stops there and perhaps other routes too.

  • WSB May 2, 2017 (7:29 pm)

    That lot is indeed listed here – sort for “South Seattle”:
    http://kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/travel-options/parking.aspx

    Sorry to omit it, considering all the times I have pointed out that the city limits jog south for Holy Family!

• Cautious WS Consumer May 2, 2017 (7:28 pm)

  I’m sorry to hear that Metro is partnering with Diamond Parking.  I have had negative experiences with the Diamond empire.  Check out the pattern of Diamond complaints with BBB.  And be very careful if you choose to deal with them.

• East Coast Cynic May 2, 2017 (8:57 pm)

  I thought there was park and ride directly under the West Seattle bridge—-the parking area that one can see under the bridge as a bus makes the right turn from Avalon on to the bridge ramp?

  • WSB May 2, 2017 (9:05 pm)

    That’s one of the three I mentioned. under the west end of the bridge, along lower Spokane Street.

    • East Coast Cynic May 2, 2017 (10:02 pm)

      Oops, missed that section:/

  • Sunuva May 3, 2017 (7:16 am)

    Sadly, this Park and Ride is barely used, because it is not close enough to the most important routes. The bus stop nearest only has the 21 Local and 37 (which has limited runs). If you want the C-line, you have to hike up the hill. If you want the 120, you have a few minutes to walk. If you want the 21X, you’d have to hike all the way back up to 35th. I’m not even sure what you’d have to do to get a route serving the Eastside.

    I used to live in Greenlake near the Park and Ride there. It had several express routes, and routes serving the Eastside that all stopped within a block of the lot. That park and ride was so much more useful than this one under the bridge in WS.

    • newnative May 3, 2017 (8:54 am)

      That stop also used to serve the 22 and the 56 before the big change. 

• CAM May 2, 2017 (9:08 pm)

  I really don’t understand the need for this. If it increases the number of people taking the bus, then great, but you can commute in and out of West Seattle without the need to drive to a parking lot and park. I have been commuting and traveling using public transportation almost exclusively since moving to West Seattle and have had very little difficulty getting anywhere around here or downtown. It is absolutely true that this will require you to take local buses and transfer but there are many buses that run in this area which appear rarely used because people only want to take an express bus. Want more local buses that cover more area or run more frequently? Use the ones that are already there. 

• Gene May 2, 2017 (9:40 pm)

  CAM- not everyone can get a bus from where they live- to the junction or downtown – glad you don’t have that problem but many do.

  • CAM May 2, 2017 (10:25 pm)

    I just quickly scanned through most neighborhoods in West Seattle asking for directions using public transit. There was no location which was more than a 7 minute walk from a bus line and most times those are over estimates for walking distance. Again, this will require using local buses and making transfers but it is not impossible. I did not include White Center in the areas I was looking at because I was specifically referencing West Seattle. 

    • TreeHouse May 2, 2017 (11:45 pm)

      Thank you CAM. I have the same exact thoughts. People just really struggle to get out of the mindset that they have to drive. West Seattle is very accessible by bus. Getting to downtown is even FASTER by bus with the dedicated bus lanes. Win Win for people, the community, and our planet.

      Plus Donald Trump hates the bus so I like them more. 

    • newnative May 3, 2017 (8:58 am)

      I don’t know where you get the “7-minute walk” measurement. There are buses that only run during certain hours Mon-Fri, then those neighborhoods have no buses. 

      I don’t own a car so the park-n-ride doesn’t directly affect my access, however I care about the numbers on the bus. I care about the people that can’t walk to the nearest bus stop. I care about the traffic congestion that affects us all. 

      • CAM May 3, 2017 (10:05 am)

        Newnative, Your assumption seems to be that I do not also care about those things because they are not addressed in every comment that I make and that would be inaccurate and faulty reasoning. 

        I was also getting directions to these places at 10 pm last night. The 7 minute walk was based on the apps calculation of distance to the closest bus stop to random pin drops in the evening. Each of the neighborhoods had bus service running at that time. It is true that the express buses stop running outside of peak hours (with the exception of the C) but the local buses are always there and an option. 

        • newnative May 3, 2017 (1:47 pm)

          I didn’t assume anything about you nor your interests, please don’t put words in my post that aren’t there.  

          You are the one that states park and rides aren’t needed.  There are people who live too far away from the nearest bus stop and would appreciate and perhaps pay $ for a park and ride. There are neighborhoods that don’t have service when the commuter buses don’t run. Period. The 37, 57 buses only run during commuter hours in one direction. Most of Alki isn’t served. 

          Replying to someone that can’t walk long distances,  “If you have physical restrictions that prevent you from using the bus system than my comments are obviously not going to apply to you. ” is downright rude and ignorant. Disabled people and injured people use the bus all the time and if a park and ride helps them access that bus, then that’s great. 

        • Mark Schletty May 4, 2017 (10:47 am)

          Sorry Cam, but you are again wrong about all the local neighborhood buses running at 10 pm. The 22 bus, which is the only service for a very large part of west seattle, only runs once an hour, only goes to the junction, and stops running at 7 pm. Not really useful for much of anything. Get your facts straight. And the walk times are based on distance, not whether the walk is up a very steep hill, and therefore not walkable for many of us.

    • Jort Sandwich May 3, 2017 (9:18 am)

      Cam is correct. The vast, overwhelming majority of Seattle residents live within walking distance (1/4 mile) of transit.

      I can understand that lots of people feel that the bus isn’t close enough for them, but that feeling is not backed up by facts.

      • Erithan May 3, 2017 (11:15 am)

        Just a note, not specific reply.

        What is “walking distance” for some is not for others, I myself have more recently come across back/hip issues and know a lot of older people who can barley go a few feet without issue, but do rely on the transit they can get. (Often access since they come to building, and they don’t have to fight for seats…).

         I think it’s worth noting that in my lifetime I used to use the bus a lot, but when I was younger we had more alternatives for routes, 54, 52, 23, 42(whichever was the west Seattle shuttle). Used to be a lot more stops, could always find your return across the street, not the case anymore for what routes are left. (Only good change I’ve seen is that c line runs after 10/11)

        sorry if I got anything mixed up, terrible headache.

    • KM May 3, 2017 (9:47 am)

      +1

    • Eileen May 3, 2017 (8:57 pm)

      I wanted to reply to the statement about all areas being within seven minutes to s bus stop. I dont think that applies to much west of 46th street. I’m a big transit person and when I first moved yo west Seattle there was a 37 bus that ran north to Alaska junction in the morning along 49th. It was great because it gathered a large group of people who lived 20 to 30 min walk (and 250 feet of elevation) to the main downtown bus stops. The number of morning runs were scrapped due to budget cuts more than ten years ago. More frustrating is that the 37 does run in morning and evening but in the opposite direction and does not work to collect people up to the main bus stops. I wish they would spend money on getting more people from the less served areas up to the junction.

  • Captin May 3, 2017 (11:17 am)

    What about those of us that have always changing schedules (8hr day or 15hr day) and have children in after school programs, sports, swimming, etc? I’m all for public transport but there are some circumstances where it doesn’t work. Its awesome for a predictable only to and from work trip though!

  • Meyer May 3, 2017 (6:03 pm)

    @GENE – I’m curious which parts of West Seattle are referring too? I can’t think of many at all that are less than 1/4 mile away from a stop (as others have pointed out). I believe most people claiming they can’t take transit really just don’t want to. I haven’t needed a car the entire time I’ve lived out here and I work in the downtown area.

• Mark May 2, 2017 (10:35 pm)

  It would be nice if the C line serviced the P&R under the WSB.  Maybe then it would get used more.  

  • Paul May 3, 2017 (6:30 am)

    I doubt that.  Lack of service isn’t the reason that park and ride isn’t full.  People don’t like parking under a bridge between a rail yard and a steel mill.  Doesn’t bother me much, but I know it bothers some.

    Besides, the C is often stuffed with people when it goes by there during peak commute times.

    • CAM May 3, 2017 (7:40 am)

      The 21 (and potentially the 50) stop under the bridge by the park and ride. The 21 shares many stops through downtown with the C and, if the 50 is available there, it drops you off at the SoDo light rail station. 

      • Earlybird May 3, 2017 (8:24 am)

        The 50 doesn’t stop under the bridge – its last stop in West Seattle is at Delridge and Andover. 

        • CAM May 3, 2017 (9:48 am)

          Thank you for the correction. I don’t ever take the 50 but it seemed possible as it was on that same general path. The stop for the 21 at 4th and Lander is still quite close to the light rail station. 

    • Mike Lindblom May 4, 2017 (10:20 am)

      That under-bridge park and ride would seem to me a place where car prowls are likely, and you have to walk across two lanes of highway-speed traffic to stand at a bus stop next to Nucor Steel.  From my perspective as a daily C Line rider, it’s better not to waste the time of 80 people crammed aboard to make yet another stop there to pick up one or two folks, while blocking car merges and the buses behind.  Do any readers here have relevant experience with these angles?

  • Swede. May 3, 2017 (12:07 pm)

    It’s a 3 minute walk (if you walk really slow, it’s about 600 feet) to the stop right in front of Luna park café…

    • WSB May 3, 2017 (1:04 pm)

      There is no RapidRide stop in front of Luna Park Café. Both stops (outbound and inbound) are a couple blocks uphill.

      • Swede. May 3, 2017 (6:26 pm)

        So a bit longer walk. The bigger issue sounds to me, and it makes sense, is from people that been around here for longer, is to park under the bridge. I would probably think twice about that to with the rampant car prowls and theft WS is plagued with. 

• JanS May 3, 2017 (12:17 am)

  Dear Cam….I can drive well, but I cannot walk a great distance to any bus, walking with a walker….and in pain most of the time. We are not all young and able bodied.  Maybe you are…but…think about that point. And for the destinations that I go to in the downtown area, Metro tells me it’s a 7 block walk from the closest “stop” (3rd and Seneca) to my final destination…but that’s another story.

  • CAM May 3, 2017 (7:46 am)

    JanS, I’m not attempting to suggest that public transportation is the best means for everyone to get around. But the vast majority of people in Seattle are not prevented from using it by physical difficulties. If you have physical restrictions that prevent you from using the bus system than my comments are obviously not going to apply to you. 

    • Mark Schletty May 3, 2017 (8:28 am)

      Cam- interesting that you admit that your claims don’t apply to people with physical difficulties, but you none-the-less claim there is no need for park and rides. Something amiss in your reasoning.

      • CAM May 3, 2017 (9:56 am)

        Mark, I’m not “admitting” anything. No transit system will adequately service 100% of the people 100% of the time. I notice many individuals on the bus with mobility issues on a regular basis. What I said was that if you have a personal issue that makes the bus inaccessible to you as an individual my comments about the bus system as it works for the generic population will not be applicable to your individual and unique circumstances. My comments are that transit is generally easily accessible in this region and I specifically chose to move here because I would easily be able to get around without a car. Can the system improve? By leaps and bounds, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t currently accessible to most commuters. 

        • Mark Schletty May 3, 2017 (10:27 am)

          Cam-  so what? Even if you were right about “currently accessible” bus service (and your not, because currently accessible is not the same as “currently useably accessible” as in my large neighborhood), what does that have to do with the need for park and rides?  Just because you and many others don’t need them, it doesn’t mean a lot of other people don’t.

        • AlkiNative May 3, 2017 (11:49 am)

          CAM, I am able bodied, but it has not always been that way. Once you are not able bodied, you might think twice about how flippantly you dismiss your comments as not applying to others. Perhaps you don’t have much experience being dismissed as not part of some sort of logical equation. I have a handicapped neighbor who likes to remind us able bodied people that most of us are “temporarily able bodied”. Put yourself on the other end of the stick, and reread your comments.

      • WD fundie May 3, 2017 (10:05 am)

        A disabled permit already is a gold parking pass. Not everything works for everyone all the time. That’s the way it is.

        • Captin May 3, 2017 (11:33 am)

          And not everyone wants to turn a 20 min car ride into an hour including walking 6 blocks uphill in the rain. I’m ok with it but some aren’t. I remember going to pick up a friend in greenwood years ago (things are better now) because it would take him TWO HOURS to get to west Seattle on a Saturday afternoon by bus. If there are more buses and faster transit times more people will use them.

        • Erithan May 3, 2017 (2:28 pm)

          Yep, though we had more bus routes then(I want the west Seattle shuttle back..)unless you were going so where downtown(mostly) would take usually 2 buses, walking, and about 2h.

• Mary May 3, 2017 (12:30 am)

  The Bartells Underground parking lot 

  has had increasing vandalism in recent months, the majority later at night. 

  Don’t leave doors unlocked, and don’t have anything of value in the vehicle. 

  • South Park Sassy May 3, 2017 (10:35 am)

    All park and rides have become targets for car prowls and car theft. The park and rides have little traffic during the day.  By parking there you pretty much advertise that they have 8+ hours to do their thing before you even realize there’s a problem.

    Broken windows and stolen cars are an expense commuters need to factor In when deciding if they should park and ride.  We live in city with lots of desperate addicts.  It’s not if it’s going to happen, it’s when.

• R0b0 May 3, 2017 (3:37 am)

  Big Lou Diamond, what a sweetheart

• aa May 3, 2017 (6:09 am)

  To me, the free lot behind huskie deli is one of the last vestiges of small town life. For the people who cry out to save WS from being overrun by big city planners this is something to hold on to. lets support those who are fighting to keep it not only free, but keeping it from being demolished by construction.

  • brian May 3, 2017 (11:44 am)

    HOT TIP: Seattle is not a small town and purposefully hamstringing the city in a futile attempt to save some feeling you have about how it used to be is shortsighted and dumb. 

  • J May 3, 2017 (1:56 pm)

    That parking lot may be going away. Those businesses are meeting to discuss selling it (Husky deli is opposed to that idea, but others are not) http://q13fox.com/2017/04/29/it-may-be-seattles-last-free-parking-lot-and-it-may-be-gone/

• Boats May 3, 2017 (9:25 am)

  +1 Cam 

• KBear May 3, 2017 (11:53 am)

  Apparently “accessible” means “a short to moderate length walk to a slow and unreliable bus that gets stuck in traffic anyway.” Yeah, we have very accessible transit. 

• Gina May 3, 2017 (12:13 pm)

  The under bridge park and ride was often the site of involuntary loss of tires, and gain of concrete blocks, along with ample fresh air with window smashing. I can understand the hesitation people might have about using it. Oh, and the removal of mufflers, very popular.

• Diane May 3, 2017 (4:15 pm)

  I am disgusted that Metro is partnering with the King-of-greed parking lots; but my question; where are US Bank customers going to park if they’re selling off what few parking spaces exist there?

  • WSB May 3, 2017 (4:19 pm)

    They are offering 8 spaces there. I don’t know how many in all they have but looking at it via Street View, doesn’t even seem to be that many, so I’m wondering if this also involves their lot right across Edmunds.

    • Diane May 3, 2017 (5:05 pm)

      thank you; and yes, seems to me like there’s only about 5 spaces in the US Bank lot

Sorry, comment time is over.