Reminder: Routes 120, 55 add more buses starting tomorrow; plus, Arbor Heights change

In case you missed the news last week: Starting tomorrow, Metro adds two am-commute buses and two pm-commute buses to each of two West Seattle routes, 120 and 55, as explained in this news release. The news release doesn’t mention the schedule details, but, from e-mail sent to riders, here they are again:

The two new morning trips on Route 55 are scheduled to leave from the Admiral District at 6:37 and 8:20 AM, and arrive on Seneca Street at Second Avenue at 7:08 and 8:51 respectively. The added Route 55 afternoon trips are scheduled to leave from Blanchard St in Belltown at 4:54 and 5:17 PM.

The two new morning trips on Route 120 are scheduled to leave from the Burien Transit Center at 6:26 and 7:14 AM, from Westwood Village at 6:50 and 7:39, and arrive on Third Avenue in downtown Seattle at about 7:25 and 8:15 respectively. The added Route 120 afternoon trips are scheduled to leave from southbound on Third Avenue at Pike Street at 4:45 and 5:11 PM.

We are continuing to launch a daily “traffic/transit today” story that is open for comments and editorial updates throughout the day as needed – what you’re seeing, and what we’re hearing about – look for it each weekday by 7, and linked throughout the day/night in the BIG STORIES list on the WSB sidebar.

P.S. For those who have been asking about Arbor Heights changes – Metro’s Victor Obeso said at the Sustainable West Seattle Transportation Forum (WSB coverage here) two weeks ago that they’d be working on tweaks – AH resident Vic noticed this up at Junction Bay 6 this weekend and shared the photo:

We have not received a reply from Metro yet about other Arbor Heights changes

anonyme October 29, 2012 (6:40 am)

The cuts to Arbor Heights service are taking a toll, with no relief in sight. Most people who have the option of driving have begun to do so. Those who don’t are in deep trouble. One AH resident reports that Metro informed her that plans to install a park & ride near Arbor Heights are in the works. This confirms that they have NO intention of improving service, and are knowingly and willingly forcing AH residents to drive instead of using transit. My, my, what an interesting approach…NOT.

WSB October 29, 2012 (6:47 am)

We’ll ask about that too. Unless it’s in the unincorporated area, that would be unusual, as the city’s stated policy is to NOT have park-and-rides … we have heard it at meetings over and over again.

Lisa October 29, 2012 (7:13 am)

Seeing alot more of our neighbors as they hike past our house for their journey to Barton or Westwood to catch a bus, the #22 does not always show up and last week just passed some people waiting at a bus stop, so they had the lovely option of hiking to Barton or waiting another hour for another #22 that may or amy not show up.

If Metro want to make Westwood Village the central bus station, fine just give AH residents bus service directly to Westwood and not only to the Junction, give our neighbors in South AH bus service to Westwood so they can at least transfer to the C Line or a #21. This would be alot more direct then forcing people to transfer at the Junction.

Are other West seattle neighborhoods also left without bus service after 6pm?

The statement below is for routes 22 and #21, so residents in AH and 5th will be completely left without bus service, great planning Metro!

Between September 29, 2012 & February 15, 2013, this route may be affected by revised schedules or service cancellations on Veterans Day, Monday, November 12; Thanksgiving Day & the Day after Thanksgiving, November 22-23; Christmas Eve, Monday, December 24 & Christmas Day, Tuesday, December 25; the Holiday Week of December 26-28; New Years Eve, Monday, December 31 & New Year’s Day, Tuesday, January 1; Martin Luther King, Jr Day, Monday, January 21, and during the UW breaks, December 17-21, 2012 & January 2-4, 2013. Visit the Holiday and Reduced Service page for information.

LWC October 29, 2012 (7:44 am)

It’s a shame that a few dozen people in AH have lost their service, but metro is working with limited funds and (I believe) made the right choice in allocating those service hours elsewhere. We can not expect frequent bus service in every corner of the county: that would be prohibitively expensive and inefficient.

On the other hand, adding peak buses to the 120 and 55 is clearly a good use of limited resources, given the over-crowding and the number of commuters it will affect for the better. Thanks Metro for responding to logic & reason rather than the loud voices of small special-interests!

G October 29, 2012 (1:08 pm)

These changes have been a disaster and it all started with that monstrosity Sound Transit/light rail which has largely responsible for reducing public transportation options in the Seattle area, not increasing them.

anonyme October 29, 2012 (1:26 pm)

“Small, special interests”????

“A few dozen people”????

A recent petition, as well a sizable presence at the Metro meeting last week completely discredits these idiotic comments.

Obviously LWC does NOT live in Arbor Heights and/or does not rely wholly on public transportation to get around. Nor does he/she have even a tiny grip on logic, reason, or the real facts of the matter.

Nor is Arbor Heights some remote “corner of the county”. It is a sizable West Seattle neighborhood of nearly 3,000 people. Your comments are not only insulting, they are erroneous.

Mickymse October 29, 2012 (5:41 pm)

Nice try anonyme, but the ridership numbers for your route exist online, and some of us were at Metro’s multiple public meetings held to discuss these changes. And I would point out that Metro specifically altered its initial proposal based on public feedback, and then brought that to the public for further comments.
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So, let’s not call LWC or others “idiotic” if Metro doesn’t make changes now after you and your neighbors had multiple opportunities to weigh in and get informed.
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No one is saying that it’s a wonderful thing when riders see service disappear, but Metro’s changes in West Seattle are benefitting countless riders and increasing connections throughout our neighborhood.

anonyme October 30, 2012 (6:44 am)

Per WSB rules, I called the comments “idiotic” – not the person. So let’s not distort the facts, Mr. Mouse. Everyone participating in this discussion knows that you are a Metro apologist, if not a Metro employee. Which may well explain your inability to LISTEN to the public, even when you do attend the meetings, or to reasonably interpret what does seep through that cloud of denial.

Mickymse October 30, 2012 (4:38 pm)

“Everyone” here knows nothing about me. A couple of people here may know that I’m a transit activist in West Seattle, but I neither work for Metro nor apologize for them when they screw up.
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Your dislike for and diagreement with their choices in this case doesn’t, however, make it a screw up…

Sorry, comment time is over.