For everyone watching RapidRide, the new Metro service scheduled to start in West Seattle in 2011 – its “schematic design” is scheduled to go before the Seattle Design Commission this Thursday (3 pm, City Hall downtown). Though it’s a county project, as a Metro service, the city is closely involved, as we mentioned a week and a half ago when a city delegation including Councilmembers Jan Drago and Tom Rasmussen van-toured the route.
Many of us want the southern terminus to be located near Westwood Village, instead of the ferry terminal. We’re hoping members of the King County Council will vote for such a terminus (which would likely draw increased ridership).
2011? Really? I love Seattle, and I really do think that the transit system is better here than in a lot of major cities across the US. However, I’ve seen entire light rail systems get approved and built in other cities in the same amount of time that it seems to take Seattle to get a new bus service figured out. With so many people eager to take public transportation in Seattle, it’s pretty frustrating to see things happening so slowly.
I understand that studies must be done, approvals must happen, etc, however this seems a little excessive to me…
According to the RapidRide information web page, “Metro planners are working with the local community to choose the best places for stations and stops.” That’s news to me. Cynic that I am, I want to question how many WSB readers — whether as individuals or as members of community groups — near the proposed route have ever been directly consulted by Metro planners in West Seattle about the best places for stations and stops? I suspect the answer is very few or none.
I went to a community meeting at the Fauntleroy School earlier in the year and gave my opinions on routing, stations, and vehicles.
It does seem that this takes way too long and the policymakers are not reacting fast enough and adding funds for more enhancements to the system.
Dow is chair this year of the Transportation committee and he needs to step up and be bold(er).
They can’t implement the service faster unless they suddenly get a bunch more money and that’s not going to happen. My biggest concern is that RapidRide is replacing the 54 which goes to White Center but RapidRide is planned to end at Westwood Village. Why is White Center losing out on this important link?
I did comment at a meeting at Fauntleroy School and have seen Metro at other locations. Also, WSB has run links to the feedback forms on the website. I commented there, as well.
To echo White Center, there is a huge budget shortfall facing King County, in general, and Metro in particular. There is was a good article on the front page of Saturday’s Seattle Times detailing how a drop in sales tax revenue has hurt Metro, which relies on that. Dow commented in there on how they are trying to cover that shortfall.
Comments from several of us resulted in the addition of a stop down on Avalon Way…
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