Metro is marking Earth Day with free bus rides all day tomorrow. Worth checking out even if you don’t regularly use buses and don’t plan to; we use Metro for weekend trips downtown on occasion simply because it’s a relief not to have to hassle with parking.
I wish they had a full time route that ran from the Junction, down Beach Drive side, down Harbor Island past Salty’s and back up Alaska to the Junction,especially at night.
That would be a wonderful addition to West Seattle, Jiggers. I’m sure there are quite a few people who would love to go down to the Alki area to eat, visit friends, etc (sans car, since parking is horrendous)…and be able to return in a fairly quick manner. Having to go up Admiral (on a limited schedule) and transfer in order to go south of there is so time consuming – a reason that people don’t use public transportation more. If my car only takes 10 minutes, and the bus takes an hour, which am I going to choose?
Our personal wish would be for a bus that actually travels the full length of Cali. We are close to its south end; even if we walked to Fauntleroy/Cali, we still couldn’t get a bus that goes all the way down to Admiral — you have to transfer in The Junction.
Somehow Metro has forgot about WS and left us in the dark ages. Parking is the only reason I don’t frequent Alki mote often, and I live two blocks form the Junction close by. I was contemplating on buying a moped and cruise down to the beach on one of the those for the summer. I don’t want a huge/expensive moped, one that just runs fine and doesn’t need to look good at all. Its easier to cruise with,park it anywhere almost and not be seen by the cops when you fly back home thru the backsroads after knocking down a few drinks late in the dark. Anyone got a very cheap moped for sale? I also agree that California avenue need a full time route that cruises up and down all day and night. What are those mini buses that I see around for? I never ride them because they are useless to me unless they can accomadate me and my times that I want to ride and not drive my car all the time. Its a pain to drive short distances more than long one’s. Less stress on the road from not driving the better for me.
Living on Alki means you don’t take bus anywhere on a Sunday, except when the Watertaxi shuttle is running.
Admin,
Monday through Saturday, the 128 from Cal & Faunt. runs up Cal up to Hiawatha Park, which is the Endo-the-lyne for that Route. It only runs as far as the Junction on Sundays.
When the Route was implemented several years ago, due the outcry for direct service between W.S. and Southcenter, I was thrilled to find out I would be able to finally have a one bus ride between my home in the Morgan Junction, up to the Admiral Dist, and points in between.
I was sorely dissapointed to find out it was only M-F at the time, them after a few years they extended the Saturday service.
Mike
Thanks, Mike. Clearly that’s where we go wrong … Sunday is our most frequent bus-taking day, so we missed that route. Nice to know it’s there if we need Metro any other day. Re: Don and the Alki bus, that’s frustrating too – we’ve lived through that one, taken a very long walk all the way to Alki and then found ourselves with no way to get back (except work thru the blisters).
The #56 runs both Saturday (every half hour) and hourly on Sunday. From in front of Alki Bakery, it then goes downtown, but you can transfer at Admiral and Cali to the #128 or #55 to go to Junction. On weekdays, the #51 leaves on 35 mins after the hour from in front of Alki Bakery and does the loop, along Alki up to Junction, down Beach Drive, to Alki. The last bus of day leaves Alki at 4:35.
And hurrah for the Water Taxi Shuttle, ’cause it’s really handy for making the Alki, Water Taxi, Junction, Beach Drive, Alki loop. Great for Farmers Market Sunday trips.
Our bus service isn’t perfect, but it’s doable.
Is that 4:35pm for the #51? What’s that all about. It doesn’t help me out if I want to go and have dinner down their at 6.30pm. Its a joke. How am I supposed to get back up to the Junction?Transferring sucks when you live only two miles away. Oh well..I might as well keep driving my vehicle around.
Sorry, Jiggers, it is 4:35pm that the 51 stops running.
However, the Water Taxi Shuttle starts this weekend and it runs later. And it’s FREE.
Also, you can take the #56 (runs late, late at night) up to Admiral & Cali and transfer to 55 which comes quite often.
Sorry, comment time is over.
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