WESTWOOD TRANSIT HUB: Long-requested lighting, sidewalk work to start within weeks, Metro says

| Safety | Transportation | West Seattle news | Westwood

(WSB file photo: ‘Wall of buses’ along Roxhill Park, across from Westwood Village)

Another “years in the making” project is about to get going. Even before the south side of SW Barton across from Westwood Village became a major transit hub, there was talk of more lighting – it’s mentioned in this WSB story from 2009. Four years later, the lack of lighting was still an issue when the then-new Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council led various government reps on a walking tour including the transit hub. In early 2015, Metro promised the lighting, and sidewalk improvements, would happen that year. Then the time-frame estimate shifted to mid-2016.

Now here we are in the second half of 2017 … and the work is apparently finally about to begin. Metro’s Paul Roybal responded to an inquiry from former WWRHAH leader Amanda Kay by saying, “Currently the construction work is scheduled to begin on August 28th, but subject to slight modifications (contractor is finishing up other work for Metro elsewhere, so the start date may be a few days later).” We subsequently checked with Metro spokesperson Scott Gutierrez about the planned scope of the work; he says it’s “to repair the sidewalk along the south side of SW Barton … and to add 4 pedestrian-scaled light fixtures to improve visibility and safety from the layover [area] to the existing RapidRide bus stop.”

JanS August 14, 2017 (10:05 pm)

I live in the Admiral District, so I don’t often go to Westwood via Barton. I did about a week ago. This street is awful. Cars speeding, people jaywalking, drivers taking up 2 lanes by straddling the line at the 25th SW light going west. King County Metro can do much, much better than this abomination. They would never, ever treat other parts of this city like they do this stretch…not in Magnolia, not in Madison Park, Queen Anne, Capitol Hill. No wonder there are accidents. As a disabled person who uses a walker, there is no way I would consider that street to be walkable or crossable. I’d be in fear for bodily harm. Wow. It needs more than a sidewalk or 4 lights. It needs to entirely be re-thunk.

Jon Wright August 14, 2017 (11:30 pm)

Thank you Amanda Kay for your tenacity!

KAP August 15, 2017 (5:41 am)

Honestly, it was irresponsible on the part of Metro/City to not have had this work done at the time this “hub” was created years ago. Glad it’s finally being addressed.

anonyme August 15, 2017 (6:28 am)

The entire setup here makes no sense. Riders are kicked off the bus, then need to hike a block up to the stop to re-catch the same bus – or another of the same route, which is usually leaving before you can reach it! Another block if you need to catch other buses. Not a problem if you have all the time (and physical mobility) in the world. Especially annoying for Arbor Heights residents who can get just so close to home – then snagged on this detour.

I’ve quit catching the #22 here, and go backwards to the Morgan Junction stop instead. At least no one there has approached the bus shelter brandishing a 6″ knife, and there are no feces-filled underwear tucked under the bench.

Kimbee August 15, 2017 (8:00 am)

Thank you Amanda Kay for your persistence! This is a long time in the making, and as we know still not enough from Metro.

Kathy August 15, 2017 (9:48 am)

Thanks Amanda Kay and others who have been fighting for this incremental improvement for so long.

This quick and dirty solution to creating a “transit hub” during the Rapid Ride C line implementation was a mistake and a disservice to southwest Seattle.

– you should be able to step off the C line and not have to go more than a block to connect to ST 560 to get to the airport.

– You should not have to transfer from the C line or hike up the hill to get to the White Center business district less than a mile away.

We need a decent transit center somewhere near 16th and Roxbury to complete the connection with the major business districts in West Seattle and to make an easy transfer to get to the airport with luggage via public transportation. Granted White Center is not in Seattle, but it’s businesses serve southwest Seattle.

King County Metro needs to do much better.

DK August 15, 2017 (11:21 am)

I agree to an extent about the buses needing to stop closer together, but where? Without huge modifications or building basically the equivalent of the Olson Meyers PNR, you can’t connect the C, 21, 22, 60, 113, 120, and 560. A true park and ride is needed.

Coming from a driver

Heather August 15, 2017 (3:39 pm)

I was hoping that some of the Hala Urban Village planning would address the public transportation woes there. At current usage “4 pedestrian friendly lights” after YEARS of discussion is really disheartening.

Sorry, comment time is over.