Getting ready for RapidRide: Tech upgrades in The Junction

In case you spotted some new boxes atop poles/light fixtures in The Junction: WSB contributor Katie Meyer spotted a crew installing this one near California/Alaska – SDOT crew but, one crew member told her, related to GPS for Metro buses. We checked with Metro to see if this means the long-awaited GPS-for-buses system is closer to reality, to enable even more accurate bus arrival-time reports than the current means of measurement. From Rochelle Ogershok at Metro, it was:

… installation of the fiber infrastructure and traffic signal upgrades along the RapidRide C Line. (As you know, we are adding service to the Route 54 starting in October, as part of the mitigation for the Alaskan Way Viaduct construction.) There will be 8 Transit Signal Priority (TSP) signals installed along the Route 54 and 6 TSP signals on First Ave S. As soon as regular Route 54 buses are equipped with GPS equipment, they can begin using the signal priority feature. We anticipate that will be in early 2012.

Route 54 is what the RapidRide “C” Line is scheduled to replace, in fall of next year.

Jiggers August 14, 2011 (10:52 am)

Screw Rapid Ride. The monorail should have been passed,built and finished by now and would have been way more efficient than anything rolling on surface streets. Is it going to add more times and routes to W.S. than the current 54&55 routes do? No. This is just another City project that’s wasting money that’s not going to help transporatation issues. Politicians have it in their back pockets as one would say.

Dan August 14, 2011 (12:49 pm)

You can already get live updates on when your bus is suppose to come with an app for android and iphone called “OneBusAway” its free too.

WSB August 14, 2011 (1:13 pm)

Dan, not the same thing. As has been explained during previous snowstorms, etc., the flaw with One Bus Away – not their fault, they did the best they could with what existed! – is that it is dependent on something that is not an actual reading of ‘where’s the bus now’ – explained here:
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http://onebusaway.blogspot.com/2010/11/king-county-metro-snow-and-real-time.html
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.When the county gets GPS, then it’ll show wherever the bus is – particularly helpful when something dramatic happens to interrupt service.

Mark August 14, 2011 (12:55 pm)

Why should a bus have priority? They rigged the South Lake Union Trolley like this. Now about 50 cars have to stop and wait for a trolley with 3 people go by….

Diane August 14, 2011 (1:32 pm)

“OneBusAway” is not exactly free if first you have to buy a smartphone and pay for the monthly service, which I don’t have, and I’m not alone
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and like TR said, it’s not real time; after the parade downtown, I waited for 2 hrs for the 54 with about 30 West Seattlites, many of whom were glued to their smartphones watching “OneBusAway” for when our bus would arrive; it was all wrong
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I welcome anything that will make our buses more reliable and communicate real time information to riders

Jason August 14, 2011 (1:56 pm)

The City is willing spend money to install a system to change the traffic lights so the buses can get through traffic quicker, but they refused to install a similar premption system for emergency vehicles to get through traffic too. I guess some things just take priority.

Jiggers August 14, 2011 (2:20 pm)

Jason.. there is a big difference in willing and actually doing. I don’t think that plan would work anyways.

Marge August 14, 2011 (2:26 pm)

one bus awaay is free, it was just a phone number before it was an app and the phone number still works 206 456 0609

Mr Matt August 14, 2011 (3:19 pm)

Ahhh, so that’s where the new $20 car tags fee is going. :/

Diane August 14, 2011 (5:46 pm)

thanks Marge; ok, so I just called that # and it took about 30 mins to set up bookmarks for 2 stops heading downtown, mainly because the computerized voice system goes through every single stop, very slowly, starting at the end of the route; at least I now have bookmarks set up for 54/55 and 56 to go downtown; although the system keeps telling me there are no scheduled stops for 56 for at least 30 minutes, and gives no other info (like the 56 may be there in 45 mins, or an hour?); does the phone access only gives times if the bus is less than 30 mins away?
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I never knew there were bus stop access codes on the sign at each bus stop; after going thru the entire menu to find my stop at California & Alaska, it’s code is 19862; who knew?
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is there ever a live person at that # if I can’t get what I need through the vm system?

Billy August 14, 2011 (8:28 pm)

That little box just sends a signal to City Light when the street light goes out. Then City Light has 500 days to repair it. lol Just kidding WSB.

transitrider August 15, 2011 (12:32 am)

Diane – no, that would be crazy for a free service. You know it’s basically just one guy who runs the service, right? Here are the instructions online of how to set up the phone service: http://onebusaway.org/p/Tools_Phone.action

and yes, the system only gives 30 (or 35?) minutes out.

Civics are important August 15, 2011 (8:34 am)

“The City” doesn’t run the transit system. The county does. It’s fine to complain about government, but you need to at least have a rudimentary understanding of how it works. Otherwise, you sound foolish.

And the last time I checked, the monorail was rejected by the voters. It’s time to move on.

Kathy August 16, 2011 (11:19 pm)

Yeah, Rapid Ride! I wish it could come though my neighborhood. It won’t be too rapid until all the infrastructure is in place (dedicated lanes and signal overrides). But the folks in Federal Way seem to like it, they increased their ridership by 25% after it was implemented. We need to lobby for some frequent shuttle service from Alki and North Admiral districts to Rapid Ride. According to 2010 census these are two of the most densely populated neighborhoods in West Seattle.

Sorry, comment time is over.